ZHANG Hui. General Manager of Origin Quantum Computing Technology (Hefei) Co., Ltd.
At the 24th collective study Xi of the 19th Political Bureau, the general secretary emphasized that he deeply understands the great significance of promoting the development of quantum science and technology, and strengthens the strategic planning and systematic layout of quantum science and technology development. The 2022 ** Economic Work Conference proposed for the first time to accelerate the R&D and application promotion of cutting-edge technologies such as quantum computing. The development of quantum technology has great scientific significance and strategic value, and is a major disruptive technological innovation that has an impact on and reconstructs the traditional technology system.
Quantum computers are the strategic commanding heights of a new round of information technology revolution. As the first quantum computer manufacturer in China, Origin Quantum Computing Technology (Hefei) Co., Ltd. has developed a number of quantum computers and successfully delivered them to users.
Achieve independent and controllable key areas to ensure the safety of the industrial chain.
Quantum computing should not simply stay in the first or report, but also build independent and controllable quantum computers, so that quantum computing with high-performance computing capabilities can shine in various industries. For more than 20 years, the scientific research team has started to develop the smallest silicon-based quantum chip, to the quantum computing measurement and control all-in-one machine that released the measurement and control quantum chip signal in 2018, and then to the successful delivery of the user's first quantum computer in 2021"Laying eggs along the way" has produced a large number of original achievements.
In the Origin Quantum Laboratory, China's first quantum chip production line was born here. Just as the core component of a traditional computer is the CPU, the core component of a quantum computer is the quantum chip (QCPU). This quantum chip production line has been put into operation since January 2022, and in more than a year, 24 sets of process equipment related to quantum chip production have been introduced, 3 sets of self-developed quantum chip special equipment have been incubated, more than 1,500 batches of tape-out trial products have been produced, and multiple batches of quantum chips and quantum amplifiers have been delivered.
Origin Quantum staff inspect instruments on a quantum chip production line.
Chip design is inseparable from electronic design automation (EDA) design software, and Origin Quantum developed the "Origin Kunyuan" (Q-EDA) design industrial software in 2022. It can support the automated design of superconducting and semiconductor quantum chips at the same time, and is a necessary tool for efficient large-scale manufacturing and production of quantum chips, which can be called the "mother of quantum chips".
In 2023, Origin Quantum will also make progress in terms of hardware equipment for the production of domestic quantum chips. At present, the team has manufactured the first "Burning Eye" (NDPT-100 non-destructive probe instrument) for non-destructive testing of quantum chips in China, as well as quantum chip laser "scalpel" for repairing quantum chips and other quantum chip industrial machine tools, which have laid a solid foundation for the future of China's quantum chip manufacturing industry.
Under the active promotion of Origin Quantum, China's quantum chip design and manufacturing chain is gradually taking shape. "Origin Kunyuan" supports the software interface of quantum chip industrial machine tools such as laser annealer and non-destructive probe instrument, and has realized the integration and collaboration of a complete set of tool chains from design to manufacturing of quantum chips made in China. The deep integration of software and hardware will make the design and manufacturing process of quantum chips more systematic, complete and efficient.
The successful delivery of quantum computers in 2021 has made China the third country in the world with the ability to deliver quantum computers, which is another firmly established leading position in the field of international quantum computing research after China has achieved "quantum superiority".
As of March 10, 2023, the number of patent applications in the field of quantum computing worldwide has reached 137.77 million pieces, China ranked second in the world, with a total of 2,251 pieces;The countries ranked third to fifth were Japan with 1,062, Canada with 917 and the United Kingdom with 525.
The research results are transformed into practical engineering.
Quantum computers have unique advantages in parallel computing of massive data and simulating the motion laws of molecules and atoms, and can be mapped to practical applications to solve many mathematical problems in finance, biomedicine, chemical materials, artificial intelligence and other industries.
In order to establish a "circle of friends" and ecosystem for quantum computing in China, Origin Quantum established China's first quantum computing industry alliance OQIA (Origin Quantum Industry Alliance) in July 2018. The industry alliance aims to cultivate a group of quantum software and hardware developers in the era of quantum computing for various industries, and jointly establish and expand the quantum computing industry ecosystem.
With the intensification of quantum computing competition at home and abroad, enterprises, institutions, universities and other fields in finance, aerospace, big data, advanced computing and other fields have signed contracts to join, China's quantum ecosystem industry chain has gradually grown, and more quantum computing industry chains and elements are gathering... As of September 2023, Origin Quantum has established more than 80 members of the industry alliance.
Origin Quantum gathers the forces of various industries through industry alliances to explore the application of quantum computing technology in various industries. CCB Financial Technology is the first financial institution to explore the application of quantum computing together with Origin Quantum. In February 2021, CCB Financial Technology and Origin Quantum's laboratory jointly launched the first batch of quantum financial applications in China - "Quantum Option Pricing Application" and "Quantum Var Value Calculation Application" based on CCB's ** application scenario, achieving a breakthrough in the "zero" of domestic quantum financial algorithms and completing the first attempt of the exponential acceleration capability of quantum computing in the domestic financial field.
In July 2023, China Mobile Research Institute (hereinafter referred to as "China Mobile Research Institute") and Origin Quantum successfully achieved the country's first algorithm verification based on a general quantum computer, and the preliminary results met the expected requirements. In order to optimize the large-scale antenna parameters of base stations in the 5G live network, Origin Quantum has preliminarily proved the feasibility of quantum algorithms in this specific problem through effective modeling, algorithm design and real machine verification, and has become the first case in China to use quantum computer real machines for communication network algorithm verification, realizing a good start for the application of quantum computing in communication networks.
The computing power advantage of quantum computing technology also has great application prospects and value in the aviation field. In September 2023, Origin Quantum and China Academy of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (Anhui Artificial Intelligence Laboratory), and Aviation Industry Corporation of China Xi'an Institute of Aeronautical Computing Technology officially launched the first domestic aerospace computing aviation application research project supported by aeronautical science** in Hefei, exploring the technical approach of quantum computing technology in the field of aeronautical computational fluid mechanics and verifying the super superiority of quantum computing technology in the field of aeronautical numerical simulation.
Origin Quantum is actively playing a leading role as a technology-based enterprise, increasing the promotion and application of software and hardware with independent intellectual property rights, accelerating the construction of an independent quantum computing ecosystem, and continuously transforming the research results of quantum computing into practical and engineering.
Intensify the cultivation of quantum talents.
At present, there is a huge gap in international quantum computing talents, and major quantum technology companies have launched a series of quantum education services from seizing the early market and cultivating user Xi. Quantum talents are scarce in China, and quantum technology involves many basic industries and engineering implementation links, requiring a large number of interdisciplinary talents. Therefore, it is urgent to carry out the cultivation of quantum talents.
Origin Quantum realized the strategic significance of talent training to the development of quantum computing early on, and formed a set of all-round teaching system through independent research and development and system integration.
Since 2018, it has successively launched the first generation of quantum computing Xi machine, the quantum computing and programming textbook "Introduction to Quantum Computing and Programming", and the original quantum computing all-physics system Xi machine, etc., opening the first domestic quantum computing education science popularization base to the public.
In 2021, Origin Quantum joined hands with Guangdong Demei Fine Chemical Group Co., Ltd. and Rongshan Middle School in Shunde District, Foshan City to build the country's first campus quantum computing science popularization base, and took the lead in establishing China's first quantum computing education alliance in 2022, attracting more than 30 colleges and universities to join.
In 2022, Origin Quantum officially launched China's first integrated platform for quantum computing education, Origin Traceability. The platform focuses on the training of interdisciplinary talents and the computing power needs of scientific research, and provides diversified resources including quantum computing system courses, real quantum computers, virtual quantum computing systems, etc., for quantum computing beginners, developers, universities and institutional users. In addition, Origin Tracing also provides teaching plan projects, quantum programming training environment, quantum computing Xi center and other functions for universities and institutions, covering the whole process of quantum computing teaching.
With the development of quantum computing technology, more and more people understand this emerging development direction through various ways such as quantum simulators and tools.
In 2023, Origin Quantum will introduce VR technology and supporting teaching resources to create an immersive experience system for quantum computing in China, build a highly realistic quantum computing training and teaching environment in the virtual reality space, provide better experience learning and Xi scenarios for quantum computing science education in China, and also provide more comprehensive teaching use cases for talent training in colleges and universities.
At present, Origin Quantum has established strategic cooperation with more than 60 colleges and universities, including University of Science and Technology of China, Central South University, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing Institute of Technology, Yangtze University, Hubei Normal University, etc., to explore talent training and industry application models.
Founded six years ago, Origin Quantum has always focused on the goal of "letting quantum computers go out of the laboratory and truly serve human society", insisting on tackling the core technologies of quantum computer software and hardware, developing a variety of quantum computing products, and truly striving to "create an independent and controllable quantum computer".
*: China Netinfo 2023 No. 11.