Daily Times

The invention of the transistor changed the world we live in. These transistors help us to control electrons which pave the path of our current electronics. Contrary to this, quantum systems require light to process and control data. Quantum science-based technologies have already made a huge transformation in our current society, which ultimately impacts our economy. This helped us in a range of applications from Global Positioning System (GPS), and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to semiconductors for computer chips. Considering the fourth industrial revolution, quantum science holds promise for this revolution in technology, with powerful computing, networking, and sensing.

Quantum Science is an amazing product of quantum phenomena at the nanoscale which has implications for processing large-scale information. Quantum science-based technology utilizes fundamental quantum properties of matter to design new types of computers, processors, sensors, and networks which can transform the speed, precision, or functionality of modern systems.

Fabrication of such systems has been fundamental, and a lot of pioneering experiments work has already been done in past. Since silicon-based semiconductor is already saturating hence, a second quantum revolution is a way forward. The prospects for innovation governed by quantum science with a huge impact on economic prosperity, motivate all developing nations to work on coordinating quantum-related activities in the developing world.

Since all developed countries have now realized the importance of electronic power control and efficiency. Therefore, all these countries are working towards quantum information. The most recent is the US, where a few tens of billion dollars are allocated to quantum initiatives.

Moreover, the fermi lab is one of the major components of this initiative.

The idea of Dr Abdus Salaam was to bring quantum-related work back to Pakistan in the form of Quaid-e-Azam University and the National Centre for Physics.

Until now all these fabricated quantum devices need ultra-low temperatures mostly achieved by liquid helium and due to this reason, we still don’t see quantum technology at a commercial scale. Companies like Amazon have already set these computers for a high level of coding. All these efforts are good for the initial scale but still, there is a lot of room available to work.

As we know this is the future, countries like Pakistan can take advantage of the void available and initiate working on the quantum initiative. Originating such a plan will help achieve the goal just like Taiwan in the case of silicon chip manufacturing a few years ago in the form of Taiwan semiconductors manufacturing corporation (TSMC). TSMC is now the leading company in the world bypassing INTEL which was the giant in this arena for decades.

Pakistan has not done much work in this area, while the idea of Dr Abdus Salaam (the only Nobel Prize winner from Pakistan) was to bring quantum-related work back to Pakistan in the form of Quaid-e-Azam University and the National Centre for Physics. However, these institutes have become merely the centres for scientific studies without tangible applications or products. To cope with this gap, Pakistan needs to initiate this work by developing the quantum science policy, which covers the plan and agenda for the upcoming years. We always give examples of India, which attracts all these semiconductor giants to establish their foundries in India. However, we miss that India is producing talented students already trained to work in these industries. None of the Pakistani institutes is training students to learn trends in quantum or semiconductor industries. Therefore, with the quantum initiative, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) must come up with academic support to consider quantum and semiconductor science as core courses in curriculums.

This policy will help Pakistan to ensure the future leadership of Pakistan in quantum science and its technical applications. It will help to support research and development and the application of quantum science and technology. The focus should be to train the researchers, educators, and students in quantum science and technology. Pakistan will get help to develop a workforce pipeline and promote the development of a multi-disciplinary curriculum and research activities for quantum science at undergraduate and graduate levels. Moreover, this will help address basic research knowledge gaps, in computational and experimental work. Another aspect will be the development of facilities/centres available for quantum science and technology research and testing. Lastly, stimulate research and initiate collaboration with international institutes like fermi lab to promote the more rapid development of quantum-based technologies.

The writer is nanotechnology expert based in USA and can be reached at arslanshehzad@hotmail.com. He tweets at @Arslanshehzad.