The government is investing $1.35 million to explore New Zealand’s strengths in quantum and photonic research. The initiative aims to generate jobs, draw investment, and build a high-tech, high-value economy.
“It’s huge for New Zealand’s economy and for New Zealand’s future and productivity,” Advanced Technology Institute board member Professor Cather Simpson said.
Simpson also holds a position as a professor of physics and chemical sciences at Auckland University.
She said quantum technology and photonics are “on the verge of allowing us to do everything from diagnose cancer earlier and better to even being able to predict earthquakes two weeks ahead of time, instead of 30 minutes to an hour.”
“And that all comes from being able to measure things like time more precisely — to be able to link things together.”
Over the next six months, the recently established Institute for Advanced Technology will use the funding to determine optimal ways to leverage New Zealand’s expertise in developing products for Quantum 2.0, the second generation of quantum mechanics.
Quantum mechanics, established over a century ago, underpins transformative technologies like transistors, the internet, cell phones, lasers, sensors, and other photonic devices.
“And so in the lingo, that’s all called Quantum 1.0. Quantum 2.0 is what we’re on the verge of right now,” she said, adding New Zealand had a lot of theoretical and experimental expertise in the Quantum 2.0 space,” Simpson explained.
“That’s the whole purpose of this public research organisation.”
“I should emphasise that we don’t just have expertise in that laser space. We have expertise in the kinds of cold, single atom types of research that are used to make these next-generation clocks and measurements of time and behaviour that will lead us to say better earthquake detection.”
“We are starting to see our first patents emerge from this space. And I think we’re right on the cusp of moving into the world economy here,” Simpson added.