Towards European Standards for Quantum Technologies

A publication with the above title was recently submitted to the upcoming Special Issue on Quantum Standardization of the European Physical Journal (EPJ) Quantum Technology. Author is the chairman of the CEN/CENELEC Focus Group Quantum Technologies FGQT, Dr. Oskar van Deventer (TNO)—together with 22 co-authors, all of them members of the FGQT.

The work was supported by the StandICT project which is funding one of the co-authors, Dr. Thomas Länger, through StandICT contract 05-579 (Jan-June 2022). Dr. Länger is one of two co-editors of the FGQT’s Quantum Technologies Standardisation Roadmap – a first draft of which is currently in pre-production for distribution in the European and world-wide quantum technologies community.

A preprint of the article is available online (March 2022): https://arxiv.org/abs/2203.01622

Abstract:

The Second Quantum Revolution facilitates the engineering of new classes of sensors, communication technologies, and computers with unprecedented capabilities. Supply chains for quantum technologies are emerging, some focussed on commercially available components for enabling technologies and/or quantum-technologies research infrastructures, others with already higher technology-readiness levels, near to the market.

In 2018, the European Commission has launched its large-scale and long-term Quantum Flagship research initiative to support and foster the creation and development of a competitive European quantum technologies industry, as well as the consolidation and expansion of leadership and excellence in European quantum technology research. One of the measures to achieve an accelerated development and uptake has been identified by the Quantum Flagship in its Strategic Research Agenda: the promotion of coordinated, dedicated standardisation and certification efforts.

Standardisation is indeed of paramount importance to facilitate the growth of new technologies, and the development of efficient and effective supply chains. The harmonisation of technologies, methodologies, and interfaces enables interoperable products, innovation, and competition, all leading to structuring and hence growth of markets. As quantum technologies are maturing, time has come to start thinking about further standardisation needs.

This article presents insights on standardisation for quantum technologies from the perspective of the CEN-CENELEC Focus Group on Quantum Technologies (FGQT), which was established in June 2020 to coordinate and support the development of standards relevant for European industry and research.