UK Quantum Technology Landscape 2016
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UK OFFICIAL DSTL/PUB098369 A perspective of UK Quantum Technology prepared by and for the UK Quantum Technology Community 1 UK OFFICIAL FOR RELEASE - UNCONTROLLED UK OFFICIAL DSTL/PUB098369 1 Foreword The UK has for a long time had a strong academic research base in quantum science, funded largely by the EPSRC and its predecessors. Further funding has been provided by other government agencies and departments, particularly the MoD and NPL. Indeed, the current funding for quantum science related research through the EPSRC is around £65m. However, converting this great science into generally applicable technology and products was for a long time considered to be some way off into the future. However, in 2013, largely driven by Dstl, a meeting was held at Chicheley Hall both to review the state of quantum developments, and also to map the current UK activities in these areas across academia, industry and government. That meeting and the resulting UK Quantum Technology Landscape document, resulted in a consensus across all those involved that the science was at the point where real workable technologies were practical, and that a new quantum based industry was on the cusp of being achieved. This galvanised the community, working closely together, to bid to government for a major “Quantum Technologies” (QT) initiative. This had the aim of providing a major kick start for these developments in the UK, and in particular to ensure that the UK would be a major beneficiary of a new quantum technologies industry. That bid was successful, and the government provided £270m over a five-year period for the first phase of this programme. We are now approaching the mid-term review of the first phase. The major investments made by all the partners are already resulting in very significant progress, with industry beginning to develop the first generation of components and products based on these new technologies. However, the UK is not alone in seeing the potential of Quantum Technologies. Other countries are also now making significant investments. In 2016, with the assistance of the Royal Society, the community organised an open two-day Discussion Meeting in London. This was followed by a smaller two-day satellite meeting at Chicheley Hall at which invited participants conducted a focussed appraisal of key technological developments and examined the current UK QT Strategy. As preparation for this, Dstl colleagues, working with the UK QT community, prepared a preliminary update of the original UK Quantum Technology Landscape document. The view of the participants at that second meeting was that the UK would significantly benefit from a fully revised Landscape document, covering all UK activities, not just those directly funded by the UK QT Programme. The document should also identify the major international initiatives to provide an international context for the UK activities. The resulting document is a major piece of work and provides a unique snapshot of the rapidly developing QT field. It is an invaluable resource for the UK QT community and government. Although almost all members of the UK quantum community have been involved in its production, I must thank and acknowledge the work of Jonathan Pritchard and Stephen Till in pulling this together. David Delpy 2 UK OFFICIAL FOR RELEASE - UNCONTROLLED UK OFFICIAL DSTL/PUB098369 2 Contents 1 Foreword ......................................................................................................................................... 2 2 Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 3 3 Executive summary ......................................................................................................................... 9 4 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 12 4.1 Vision ..................................................................................................................................... 12 4.2 History ................................................................................................................................... 12 4.3 Purpose of this document ..................................................................................................... 13 4.4 Layout of the document ........................................................................................................ 14 5 Strategy and industrialisation ....................................................................................................... 15 5.1 Current strategy .................................................................................................................... 15 5.1.1 The national quantum strategy..................................................................................... 15 5.1.2 MOD quantum strategy ................................................................................................ 16 5.2 Wealth Creation from new quantum science ....................................................................... 17 5.2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 17 5.3 Economics ............................................................................................................................. 17 5.4 Economic impact ................................................................................................................... 19 5.5 Industrialisation of quantum technologies ........................................................................... 19 5.5.1 Quantum technology Exploitation ................................................................................ 21 5.5.2 Building a supply chain .................................................................................................. 21 5.6 Enabling technology .............................................................................................................. 22 5.6.1 Early manufactured quantum components and subsystems: ...................................... 23 5.6.2 Product development roadmaps .................................................................................. 23 5.6.3 Some key technical milestones ..................................................................................... 28 6 Progress since 2014 and state of the art ...................................................................................... 31 6.1 The UK national quantum technology programme .............................................................. 31 6.1.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 31 6.1.2 UK quantum technology hubs ....................................................................................... 32 6.1.3 Hub overview ................................................................................................................ 32 6.1.4 Governance of the National Quantum Technology Programme .................................. 38 6.1.5 Performance metrics ..................................................................................................... 39 6.1.6 Strategic Capital Investment ......................................................................................... 39 6.1.7 Training and Skills.......................................................................................................... 39 6.1.8 Innovate UK programme ............................................................................................... 41 3 UK OFFICIAL FOR RELEASE - UNCONTROLLED UK OFFICIAL DSTL/PUB098369 6.1.9 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) ................................. 43 6.1.10 The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) ........................................................................ 43 6.1.11 GCHQ ............................................................................................................................. 45 6.1.12 Dstl ................................................................................................................................ 46 6.1.13 The UK MOD quantum technology programme ........................................................... 46 6.1.14 Synergy between the MOD and national programmes ................................................ 54 6.1.15 KTN ................................................................................................................................ 54 6.2 Major quantum activities outside the hubs .......................................................................... 54 6.2.1 Centre for Photonics and Photonic Materials and Centre for Advanced Sensor Technologies, University of Bath .................................................................................................. 55 6.2.2 Queen's University, Belfast ........................................................................................... 55 6.2.3 Centre for Quantum Photonics (CQP) and EPSRC CDT for Quantum engineering, University of Bristol ....................................................................................................................... 56 6.2.4 Quantum Systems and Nanomaterials Group, Exeter University ................................. 57 6.2.5 EPSRC CDT for Controlled Quantum Dynamics and Centre for Cold Matter (CCM), Imperial College London ..............................................................................................................