At Pawsey, our pioneering spirit keeps us at the cutting edge of technology. Pawsey is home to Setonix, which will become the fastest supercomputer in the Southern Hemisphere.

Now we are breaking new ground in quantum computing with the world’s first room-temperature diamond-based quantum computer, located on-site at our Kensington facility.

Quantum computers will crack certain types of computational problems which are currently intractable with classical computers because they work like no other computer in the world.

Classical computing works with ones and zeros (known as bits) to solve equations, but quantum computing uses quantum bits or qubits that can be ones, zeros or represent both a one and zero at the same time.

In practical terms, calculations that might take a traditional supercomputer many years, or can’t be done at all, a quantum computer can compress into weeks or months.

When the potential of quantum computing is fully realised, the impact in many scientific fields, like astronomy, life sciences, medicine, finance, defence and more, will be immense.

Want to learn more? Check out this video by Pawsey intern Allison Ng as she breaks down quantum computing

Pawsey’s role

Pawsey is working closely with SMEs to bring them along to Australia’s quantum future. We support incubators to accelerate uptake of quantum computing by Australian researchers and hope this will accelerate research outcomes.

In partnership with Quantum Brilliance, the Pawsey Quantum Pioneers Program is an initiative for selected researchers to develop cutting-edge quantum applications in machine learning, logistics, defence, aerospace, quantum finance and quantum research.

We collaborate with quantum leaders from all corners of Australia and the world – from Perth to Melbourne, the United Kingdom, Finland and Uruguay.

Get to know these quantum pioneers here

See more: Quantum Computing for Industry Growth

A quantum computing world-first

Pawsey has the world’s first room-temperature diamond-based quantum computer located on-site in a supercomputing facility, thanks to our partnership with Australian-German start-up Quantum Brilliance.

The first integration of quantum computing systems in a supercomputing centre will be used to demonstrate and test hybrid models of quantum and classical computing, by pairing the quantum accelerator with Setonix.

Quantum supercomputing is tricky. Most quantum systems must operate at 20 millikelvins, which is just below minus 273 Celsius. Generating those temperatures requires huge amounts of energy, making quantum computers impractical.

However, the Quantum Brilliance computer uses synthetic diamonds which have a lattice structure at the atomic level. A nitrogen atom has replaced a carbon atom in the diamond lattice, and we also have created a hole right next to that atom.

That hole allows us to interact with the electron spin that exists in that nitrogen vacancy and delivers a couple of advantages – most notably allowing the computer to operate at room temperature, and at computational speeds much faster than classical computing.

Through our partnership with Quantum Brilliance, we are developing a diagnostics and engineering solution for operating a quantum computer in an HPC environment. Our teams are working to collect and improve maintenance data and cycles, demonstrate classical and quantum co-processing, and integrate the system with Setonix.

Watch this exciting journey unfold here:

Upskilling for a quantum future

Pawsey is passionate about empowering the next generation to understand how quantum computing works so they can use this incredible technology to its full potential in the future.

Quantum computing requires a new set of skills. The UWA/Pawsey Quantum Computing Centre based at the University of Western Australia is our commitment to upskilling researchers and students ensuring they are ready for a quantum future.

The Centre is developing education programs focused on the approaching quantum computing revolution, providing participants with the first educational quantum computers in Australia.

Led by renowned quantum physicist Professor Jingbo Wang, the Centre offers two desktop quantum computers, the two-qubit SpinQ Gemini and the three-qubit SpinQ Triangulum system, operating at room temperature.

We hope that in the future, the Centre will be accessible across Australia and allow people to access quantum computers from anywhere in the country.

Interested? Get in touch, by emailing help@pawsey.org.au or via our contact us page.