Utrecht University: Dutch–Japanese funding boost for unconventional computing research

As conventional computing technologies approach their fundamental physical limits, breakthroughs in computing performance will require entirely new technological paradigms. To accelerate such developments, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) have jointly awarded multi-million-euro funding to five collaborative research projects on unconventional computing technologies. The programme further strengthens Dutch–Japanese cooperation in cutting-edge science and high-tech innovation. Among the funded projects is one led by Allard Mosk of Utrecht University. A second project includes a key role for Rembert Duine, also of Utrecht University.

Computing with light: faster, more efficient processing

Modern computer chips rely on billions of electronic switches to process information. But as computing demands continue to grow, this technology is approaching its limits in terms of speed, energy consumption, and heat generation. In the OPERA project, led by Utrecht University physicist Allard Mosk, researchers will investigate how light can take over some of the most demanding computational tasks.

Together with partners in the Netherlands and Japan, Mosk will develop a new generation of photonic technologies that use light to transmit and process information. By performing calculations directly as light travels through a system, tasks such as image recognition and 3D reconstruction could be carried out almost instantly and with far less energy than conventional computer chips require. The team will focus on applications in medical imaging, where rapid processing of large amounts of data is essential.

Quantum computers with magnetic qubits

Virtually all quantum computers developed today rely on superconducting qubits, in which quantum information is stored in two distinct energy levels of a superconducting circuit. An emerging alternative is the use of magnetic qubits, where quantum information is encoded in the orientation of the magnetic moment (spin) of an electron or atom. Although research on magnetic qubits is still in its early stages, the approach holds considerable promise. Magnetic qubits can be much smaller than their superconducting counterparts, offering potential advantages for scalability and the integration of large numbers of qubits on a single chip.

This project aims to develop a new quantum computing platform based on magnetic qubits. With a budget of just over 2 million euros and a duration of five years, the project is led by Delft University of Technology and Tohoku University. Rembert Duine plays a central role in the consortium. He has been among the pioneers of this emerging field and will contribute his theoretical expertise to identify and understand novel materials and mechanisms that could enable magnetic qubits, working closely with the project's experimental research teams.

This article was first published on 5 June by Utrecht University.