Quantum technologies for the Quantum 2.0 era

In July, the new UK Government confirmed its commitment to investing in quantum technologies, announcing funding for five new quantum research hubs [1]. But what are quantum technologies, and what trends do we see emerging in the patenting of innovation in these areas?

In this, the first in a short series of articles on quantum technologies, we take a look at developments in these fields, and what we can expect in the coming years.

After AI and machine learning, quantum computing is perhaps one of the most widely reported technologies in the mainstream media. Much has been written about the potential of quantum computers to crack “unbreakable” encryption codes, and whether quantum computers have achieved so-called “quantum supremacy” (no, not world domination by computers, but the ability to solve a problem that no classical computer can solve in a reasonable amount of time, no matter how powerful or fast it is).

The term “quantum technologies”, however, covers not just quantum computing, but any technology which uses the principles of quantum mechanics to achieve functionality and performance that cannot be achieved using classical physics. Quantum mechanics has been around for over 100 years and devices, such as lasers and transistors, employing quantum effects, like spin, charge tunnelling and quantised energy, already exist. The next wave of technologies, so-called “Quantum 2.0”, look to exploit atomic scale phenomena such as superposition, entanglement, and correlation. These phenomena underpin new approaches in communications, cryptography, sensing, timing, and imaging.

The UK has long recognised the importance of quantum technologies.

In 2013, the UK government launched the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme [2], a £1 billion collaboration between academia, industry and government, supporting research, innovation, and commercial development in quantum technologies. This involved establishing four university-centred quantum technology hubs in 2014, focussing on communications, sensors and timing, enhanced imaging and computing. In July this year, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (“DSIT”) announced £106 million of government funding for five quantum research hubs. This went ahead despite shelving of funding for supercomputing and AI research.

In 2014, the UK Intellectual Property Office published a report [3] reviewing patenting of quantum technologies, identifying a small, but growing level of patenting. It also pointed to the UK being one of the biggest filers of applications relating to quantum technology. More recently, the European Patent Office (EPO) has released reports on Quantum metrology and sensing [4], Quantum technologies and space [5], Quantum computing [6] and Quantum simulation [7].

What can we see looking at application numbers, particularly at the EPO?

Looking first at quantum communication, the number of European patent applications has grown over the last 10 years, but the rate of increase is modest [8]. Using IPC group H04L 9/00 and keyword “quantum”, and searching by year of publication, the number of published EP applications in 2013, 2018 and 2023 were 2, 8 and 65, respectively.

In quantum computing, the number of applications is growing, but again not spectacularly. Using IPC class G06N and keyword “quantum”, and searching by year of publication, the number of published EP applications in 2013, 2018 and 2023 were 14, 84 and 502 respectively. Compare this to simply searching for the keyword “machine learning” in IPC class G06N, and we see an increase from 61 to 2,496 EP applications over the same period.

Interestingly, if the term “qubit” (literally a quantum bit – the basic unit of information in quantum computing) [9] is used (still using class G06N), the numbers of published EP applications for the three years are 10, 41 and 209, respectively.

A European patent application filed by Yamaha Motors and published in 2001 was the first one to mention a “qubit”. The following year, there were four, one of which was drafted and filed by Venner Shipley! In fact, Venner Shipley appears to have filed one of the first EP applications drafted in Europe to mention the word “qubit”.

So, what are we to make of these figures? Have quantum technologies been over-hyped?

As Niels Bohr, one of the founding fathers of quantum theory said, “Prediction is very difficult, especially if it’s about the future!”

What we can say is that the number of patent applications being filed is increasing and accelerating. Also, there seems to be a lot of excitement about investment in quantum technologies and their potential economic value. One report by Mckinsey [10] stated that global investments in quantum technologies had reached $42 billion in 2023, and analysists [11] estimate that the economic value from quantum computing is predicted to reach $2 trillion by 2035. Hopefully by then, we should have a clear idea.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/over-100-million-boost-to-quantum-hubs-to-develop-life-saving-blood-tests-and-resilient-security-systems
[2] https://uknqt.ukri.org/
[3] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7d647aed915d269ba8a61b/quantum-technologies.pdf
[4] https://link.epo.org/web/patent_insight_report-quantum_metrology_and_sensing_en.pdf
[5] https://link.epo.org/web/patent_insight_report_quantum_technologies_and_space_en.pdf
[6] https://link.epo.org/web/epo_patent_insight_report-quantum_computing_en.pdf
[7] https://link.epo.org/web/epo_patent_insight_report_quantum_simulation_en.pdf
[8] Source: Espacenet
[9] The word “qubit” was purportedly coined by Benjamin Schumacher in his 1995 Physical Review A paper.
[10] https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/steady-progress-in-approaching-the-quantum-advantage
[11] https://biforesight.com/quantum/quantum-market-forecast-no-hype-mckinsey-and-globaldata-have-seen-the-future/t