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Denmark is embarking on an ambitious project to create the world's most powerful quantum computer, named Magne. This significant undertaking, known as QuNorth, has secured substantial funding of 80 million euros from the Danish funds EIFO and the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The primary objective of this initiative is to launch Scandinavia's first "second-level quantum system" with effective error correction capabilities.

The development of Magne will be a collaborative effort involving the American technology companies Microsoft and Atom Computing. The computer will leverage Microsoft's Azure Quantum software stack and Atom Computing's hardware, which is based on neutral atom technology. Magne is anticipated to incorporate approximately 50 logical qubits and over 1200 physical qubits, thereby combining current world records for both physical and logical qubit counts within a single system.

Qubits are the fundamental units of information in a quantum computer. Physical qubits are inherently unstable, necessitating the creation of logical qubits—"virtual" units that integrate multiple physical qubits for error correction. "Second-level" error-corrected systems are considered a crucial stride towards quantum advantage, a point at which quantum computers can resolve specific problems significantly faster than classical computers.

Construction of Magne is slated to commence in autumn 2025, with a projected launch in late 2026. The computer will be housed in Copenhagen and will be owned by Denmark. This project also represents a pivotal step for Europe, as it strives to narrow the gap with the United States and China in the advancement of quantum technologies, which hold the potential to revolutionize fields such as drug discovery and climate modeling.

ORIENT

Photo: Microsoft