La Trobe University has formed a partnership to pioneer new diamond fabrication techniques, aiming to accelerate the development of a low-cost, portable alternative to supercomputers.
As part of the Research Hub for Diamond Quantum Materials, researchers at La Trobe, RMIT University and Australian-German quantum computing hardware company, Quantum Brilliance, will engineer the diamond computer chip that sits at the heart of diamond quantum computers.
La Trobe Pro Vice-Chancellor (Graduate & Global Research) Professor Chris Pakes, said diamond-based quantum computing is already disrupting digital platforms that underpin a wide range of industries, including science, health and agriculture.
"Unlike other quantum-based supercomputers sitting in large server-based formats, diamond-based quantum computers are low-cost, portable technologies able to operate at room temperature," Professor Pakes said.
"This enables them to be used in a broad range of edge applications, which may not be possible with supercomputers, such as satellites, health environments and manufacturing."
Professor Pakes said the partnership will leverage both universities' expertise in diamond growth, surface imaging and engineering, and combine it with Quantum Brilliance's industry experience and manufacturing capabilities.
"All three organisations have world-leading expertise and resources in diamond material sciences - making the hub well placed to develop innovative new approaches to advanced manufacturing in this important future industry," Professor Pakes said.
Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Quantum Brilliance, Marcus Doherty, said the hub is another example of collaborative research efforts advancing diamond-based quantum technology and delivering economic benefit to Australia in the years to come.
"Through our partnership with La Trobe University and RMIT University, we will develop the fabrication techniques necessary to enhance the performance of diamond-based quantum computers, to deliver real-world solutions to a broad spectrum of industries," Mr Doherty said.
The hub is already pursuing several multi-million dollar research projects that are pioneering new diamond fabrication techniques. These Australian-based projects are partially funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) and Quantum Brilliance.
The research hub is designed to not only make great strides in developing synthetic diamond accelerators, but to create a network of experts in diamond material science for future industry advancements in both countries.
About Quantum Brilliance
Founded in 2019, Quantum Brilliance is a venture-backed Australian-German quantum computing hardware company providing diamond quantum accelerators supported by a full stack of software and application tools. Quantum Brilliance's vision to enable mass deployment of quantum accelerators will propel industries to harness edge computing applications and next-generation supercomputers. Quantum Brilliance's international partnerships extend into North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific, working with governments, supercomputing centers, research organizations and industry leaders.
About La Trobe University
For more than 50 years, La Trobe University has been transforming people and societies. The University works collaboratively across disciplines and with partners to develop fresh ways of thinking and conducting research - constantly seeking new ways to engage with and better serve its partners and communities, to build relationships and develop solutions for the issues facing society. Ranked in the top one per cent of universities worldwide,1 La Trobe is firmly positioned in the top 400 of all three major world university rankings. In 2021, the respected Times Higher Education World Ranking placed La Trobe at 218 globally,2 marking the second year running the University has been named in the world's top 250.
About RMIT University
RMIT is a multi-sector university of technology, design and enterprise, with 96,277 students and close to 10,000 staff globally. The University's mission is to help shape the world through research, innovation and engagement, and to create transformative experiences for students to prepare them for life and work. RMIT is truly global. As well as three Melbourne campuses, it has two campuses and a language centre in Vietnam and a research and industry collaboration centre in Barcelona, Spain. Programs are also offered through partners in locations including Singapore, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and mainland China, with research and industry partnerships on every continent.
