The event at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) was fully booked several days in advance, and on the day of the event, every seat in the packed seminar room was taken. Florian Marquardt, Professor at the Chair of Theoretical Physics and Director at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, began by introducing the audience to the basics of quantum computing, discussing possible areas of application, and vividly demonstrating the idea of quantum error correction. Christopher Eichler, Professor at the Chair of Experimental Physics, then took over and explained to the interested audience how quantum computers can be built using superconducting circuits.
Those who managed to get a place on the lab tour were able to see what it might look like in a lab where superconducting quantum processors are being researched. Visitors were able to take a close look at wafers and tiny chips with superconducting structures. Using a light microscope, it was even possible to visualize the so-called Josephson junction, the heart of a superconducting qubit structure. "But how do you do that? How do you make these superfine structures?" asked one of the guests, looking at the two crossed wires about 100 nanometers thick, whereupon a doctoral student explained the principle of electron beam lithography. The guests also got to see a cryostat, which is needed to cool the superconducting quantum chips to just above absolute zero. Since it was in operation – the periodic wheezing of the pumps of the cooling system was clearly audible – and therefore not opened, the key components inside a cryostat and how it works were explained using various exhibits and pictures.
The visitors did not miss the opportunity to ask the scientists all their questions on site and so the event ended a little later than planned due to the great interest.
More information:
All other events in the “MQV-Einblicke” series, with links to registration, can be found here: https://www.munich-quantum-valley.de/quantum-2025/mqv-einblicke
An overview of all further events organized by the MQV and its partners to mark the International Year of Quantum can be found here: https://www.munich-quantum-valley.de/quantum-2025