The recently established quantum technology competence center (QTZ) at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt will provide an important basis for the industrial development of quantum technology. PTB combines internationally recognized, professional 
competence in the field of quantum metrology and sensor technology with the mission to support industry in metrology as a governmental body. It has the prerequisites to operate and build important infrastructures as required and to offer the necessary services. The central goal of QTZ is to support business - with a special focus on start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises - in the transfer of quantum technology from basic research into application. The QTZ complements the existing research and development skills and services with a focus on the evolving needs of the economy and active technology transfer.
For QT applications to be successful in the market, robust and user-friendly QT components are required that can also be used by non-experts in the challenging environment of an industrial plant. PTB allows QT components that have already established themselves at PTB (or in other research institutes) to be enhanced for this type of practical utilization.
For QT components to be used commercially, it is essential for them to be reliable and comparable. Furthermore, their compliance with quality-relevant specifications must be ensured and certified by means of calibration and characterization. For this purpose, the QTZ continues to support the development of norms and standards in the field of QT. With these services, which belong to the fundamental tasks of PTB, as an independent national metrology institute, PTB is making an important and robust contribution to paving the way into the QT market.
To implement QT in the market, well-qualified staff are needed. Currently, however, there are not enough possibilities to train such staff. The connections PTB has with important stakeholders from industry will be an excellent starting point to train such a “quantum workforce” in the near future and to cover current needs. Suitable user platforms will be used for this purpose. Another possibility when it comes to transferring knowledge is to encourage and promote business start-ups.
These user platforms offer measuring facilities that are robust and designed to be user-friendly in essential areas of QT. With the support of PTB’s staff and infrastructure, it is planned to make them accessible to external partners. The objective here is to allow these partners to gain their own experiences with QT without having to set up the necessary infrastructure themselves as this typically requires considerable investment and long preparatory phases. Another challenge for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is the lack of familiarization and experience with the technologies applied in this field. Having to spend a long time setting them up is yet another challenge. In such a potentially very dynamic and disruptive field as QT, this may represent a considerable competitive disadvantage that can be difficult to make up for. The QTZ has been designed to try and overcome this difficulty.
These user platforms are a central element to pursuing all of the QTZ’s objectives. They represent essential core capabilities of PTB in the field of QT and provide the appurtenant equipment, measuring facilities and demonstrators. In accordance with PTB’s core areas, these platforms focus on quantum metrology and quantum sensors. As regards the setting up of these measuring facilities, the aspects of robustness and user-friendliness are the center of attention. This differentiates them from set-ups for fundamental research at the limit of what is technically feasible. The aim is to allow even non-experts to operate these facilities. These measuring facilities, which are designed to be used relatively easily, are to be made available for use by external partners with the support of PTB’s staff and infrastructure.
Electrical Quantum Metrology
