Spain is rapidly emerging as a key player in the global race to develop quantum technologies, wiht researchers at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) achieving notable progress across multiple disciplines.Detailed in the latest issue of CSIC Investiga, these advancements-spanning computing, cryptography, and metrology-promise to reshape industries from finance to medicine. The country recently established its first publicly accessible quantum computer, linked to the MareNostrum 5 supercomputer in Barcelona, signaling a considerable national investment in this transformative field.
Spain is making significant strides in quantum technology, with researchers at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) exploring breakthroughs in computing, cryptography, and metrology. These advancements, detailed in the latest issue of CSIC Investiga, could pave the way for revolutionary applications across industries, from finance and security to materials science and medicine.
The CSIC’s quantum research spans both the hardware and software realms. Scientists are actively developing atomic, molecular, and semiconductor-superconductor-based quantum processors. Their work also encompasses applications in cryptography and precision measurement, and includes collaboration on Quantum Spain, a project that recently established Spain’s first publicly accessible quantum computer. This computer will be connected to MareNostrum 5, one of Europe’s most powerful supercomputers.
“Quantum physics has fascinated and perplexed since its establishment in the early 20th century to describe the behavior of matter at the microscopic level,” explains researcher Diego Porras of the Institute of Fundamental Physics (IFF-CSIC) in the magazine’s editorial. “Some quantum principles challenge our everyday intuition, such as the fact that a particle can be in a superposition of spatial locations or that light is quantized into packets of energy, known as photons.”
Despite its often-mysterious reputation, Porras emphasizes that quantum physics is “the most accurately confirmed physical theory” and underpins technologies we use daily, like electronics and lasers.
The current issue of CSIC Investiga showcases the breadth of quantum physics research and its potential, with scientists tackling challenges in both quantum hardware construction and control. A key goal is achieving “quantum advantage”—demonstrating a performance exceeding that of classical computing for practical problems. Challenges also exist in the software domain, including the development of quantum algorithms for optimization, machine learning, and quantum chemistry, Porras notes.
Computing
“Quantum computing is a new way of processing information,” says physicist Roberta Zambrini of the Interdisciplinary Physics and Complex Systems Institute (IFISC, CSIC-Universitat de les Illes Balears). This new approach could unlock solutions to fundamental physics problems currently intractable for classical computers, while also improving manufacturing processes, enhancing financial modeling, and accelerating the discovery of new materials and pharmaceuticals. Zambrini also highlights how the Quantum Spain project has spurred growth within the Spanish quantum ecosystem, resulting in the country’s first publicly accessible quantum computer, located in Barcelona.
Researchers at the CSIC are pushing the boundaries of quantum hardware development. At the Center for Research in Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology (CINN, CSIC-University of Oviedo-Principality of Asturias), a team is prototyping quantum computers by manipulating individual atoms. “Atomic quantum processors use the internal states of individual atoms to encode and process quantum information,” explains researcher Daniel Barredo of CINN.
The CINN’s prototype processor utilizes Rydberg atoms—atoms with excited electrons—and aims to contribute to advancements in both quantum simulation and computation. “There isn’t a fully functional machine in Spain right now using this technology. Our project seeks to train a new generation of researchers, technicians, and users specializing in this still-nascent technology in Spain,” Barredo adds.
The Institute of Science of Materials of Madrid (ICMM-CSIC) is investigating qubits—the fundamental unit of quantum computation—based on semiconductor-superconductor hybrids, which promise increased robustness and scalability. A collaboration between the ICMM and the Institute of Structure of Matter (IEM-CSIC) is also exploring promising quantum materials with broad functionality for future quantum technologies, such as topological qubits for quantum computers and advanced sensors.
However, Juan José García Ripoll, a researcher at the IFF-CSIC and coordinator of the CSIC’s Quantum Technologies platform, cautions that quantum computing remains an unproven technology. “It’s important not to lose perspective and recognize that quantum computing is just one of the opportunities offered by the second quantum revolution, with fields like quantum cryptography, quantum sensing, and quantum metrology likely to have a more immediate impact on our lives in the short term,” he states in the magazine.
Cryptography
Quantum physics also holds the potential to significantly enhance communication security. A team at the Institute of Microelectronics of Seville (IMSE-CSIC) is working on a pioneering project that combines photonics, algorithms, and robust digital identities to build secure and scalable quantum communication systems. Researchers at the Institute of Physical Technologies and Information Leonardo Torres Quevedo (ITEFI-CSIC) are applying quantum physics to strengthen communication key security, both through fiber optics and the atmosphere, and in transmissions between Earth and satellites.
Metrology
Metrology, the science of measurement, is crucial for scientific research. Quantum physics can bring unprecedented precision to metrology. A team at the Center for Physics of Materials (CFM) is investigating the interaction of quantum light with nanoparticles to develop ultra-precise sensors capable of measuring electroencephalograms and enabling aircraft navigation without relying on external systems like GPS or GSM. Another team at the Institute of Corpuscular Physics (IFIC) is exploring new ways to measure time and electromagnetic fields with unprecedented sensitivity.
Devices
Among the quantum circuits closest to practical applications are superconducting qubits being developed at the Institute of Microelectronics of Barcelona (IMB-CNM-CSIC). “They are very versatile, both in manufacturing and in commercial uses,” says Gemma Rius, a physicist at the IMB specializing in the field. At the same Barcelona center, a team is developing semiconductor-based qubits to leverage existing microelectronics manufacturing processes, while another team associated with VLC Photonics is developing a silicon nitride technology that could enable the future large-scale fabrication of photonic-quantum integrated circuits.
Outreach
Physicists Alberto Casas and Carlos Sabín, authors of several popular science books on quantum physics, address fundamental concepts and dispel myths about the field in the magazine. “A theory that, 100 years later, is more relevant than ever and is still in great shape,” according to Casas, and should be stripped of any “mysterious or supernatural” aura, according to Sabín. Casas predicts a promising future for basic research in quantum physics currently underway: “The ‘second quantum revolution’ is in full development, it does not yet have practical applications for everyday life. These include quantum computing, quantum cryptography and quantum sensors, which promise fabulous results.”
