Story perspectives

Empa's CarboQuant Project: Revolutionizing Quantum Tech with Graphene

3/8/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The CarboQuant project at Empa, Switzerland, is pioneering the future of carbon-based quantum technologies. By harnessing the power of nanographenes and graphene nanoribbons, researchers are using cutting-edge scanning tunneling microscopy to manipulate quantum states. Backed by the Werner Siemens Foundation, this ambitious initiative aims to revolutionize sensors and components for quantum computers over the next decade.

History

Historical Context

The CarboQuant project at Empa, Switzerland, builds on decades of research in superconducting quantum computing, which began gaining traction in the late 1990s with the development of superconducting qubits. This technology aims to enhance computational power and efficiency, echoing earlier efforts in the 1980s by IBM and others to explore superconducting devices, which ultimately led to the modern advancements in quantum technologies we see today.

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Story summary

The CarboQuant project at Empa, Switzerland, is pioneering the future of carbon-based quantum technologies. By harnessing the power of nanographenes and graphene nanoribbons, researchers are using cutting-edge scanning tunneling microscopy to manipulate quantum states. Backed by the Werner Siemens Foundation, this ambitious initiative aims to revolutionize sensors and components for quantum computers over the next decade.

1 / 2