TBNQuantum
China’s Photonic Quantum Computer Among WIC Award Winners
Publication: The Quantum Insider
Author: Matt Swayne
Source published: 04/11/2026, 12:06:23 UTC
Briefing created: 04/11/2026, 14:22:54 UTC
Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 04/11/2026, 12:35:26 UTC.
Briefings
The University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) developed the Jiuzhang 4.0 photonic quantum computer, which won the 2026 World Internet Conference Leading Science and Technology Award. The device performed Gaussian boson sampling, detecting up to 3,050 photons in a single run, a record surpassing Jiuzhang 3.0's 255 photons. Lu Chaoyang stated the machine produces its most complex sample in about 25 microseconds, requiring more than 10^42 years on a supercomputer to replicate. The machine uses 1,024 beams of squeezed light into 8,176 channels, and its outputs are distinguishable from classical imitations. The project was originally named El Capitan at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Key points
- USTC researchers developed Jiuzhang 4.0, a photonic quantum computer that detected up to 3,050 photons in a single run, surpassing Jiuzhang 3.0's 255 photons.
- Lu Chaoyang stated the machine produces its most complex sample in about 25 microseconds, requiring more than 10^42 years on a supercomputer to replicate.
Context
The Jiuzhang series began in 2020 with a machine detecting 76 photons. Jiuzhang 2.0 reached 113 photons in 2023. The project uses particles of light called photons to compute by steering them through optical networks. It was originally named El Capitan at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Limitations
The evidence is limited to a 2026 award ceremony report and a 2024 Nature Physics preprint. The 2024 study notes challenges with photon loss in optical experiments. The machine has no known commercial use, and the speed advantage over classical computers remains a benchmark for quantum supremacy rather than a practical application.
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