Pohang City Selected as Final Winner in National Top 10 Strategic Technology 'Quantum' Based Public Contest

Focused Investment in Securing Quantum Technology as Next-Generation Innovation

Becoming a World-Class Research Hub in the Field of Nano and Material Technologies

Pohang City has been finally selected for the national top 10 strategic technology quantum-based public contest project.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] Pohang City and the Max Planck POSTECH Center (hereinafter MPK) were finally selected on the 4th for the quantum-based nanomaterial technology development project to overcome the limits of new materials promoted by the Ministry of Science and ICT (Project name: Research on Quantum Properties and Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Topological Quantum New Materials), securing a total project cost of 30.15 billion KRW over six years (17.25 billion KRW in national funding).

The core of this research project is to replace current quantum technology limitations with topological qubits based on topological quantum materials and to develop new quantum materials and devices.

To this end, research will be conducted utilizing international large-scale facilities by linking the Pohang 4th Generation Accelerator (PAL-XFEL) and the German European XFEL.

Current quantum technology is vulnerable to external environmental factors such as vibration, thermal, electrical, and magnetic noise, which limits stability and scalability. Accordingly, to implement 200 error-free qubits, 101,000 conventional superconducting qubits are required, but implementing qubits with topological superconductors can be achieved with as few as 1,000 qubits.

To overcome the limitations of existing materials, it is essential to replace them with topological qubits based on stable topological quantum materials and to develop new quantum material substances and devices.

The city plans to establish a world-class research hub by additionally attracting the Helmholtz Institute along with the previously secured MPK, POSTECH, and Fraunhofer IISB Practical Research Center, and based on this, promote world-leading research for developing core materials of new-concept quantum properties through a research platform involving three major German institutions.

In particular, it is expected to create a new market by promoting integrated research from basic research on spatiotemporal characteristics in quantum property material development, new-concept quantum device implementation, to device standardization, securing leading basic original technologies in the pre-industrialization stage.

Since its establishment in 2011, the Max Planck POSTECH Center has engaged over 80 researchers, securing world-class basic original technologies and focusing on training experts in fields such as 'Development of Rare Earth Substitute Advanced Composite Permanent Magnet Core Technology' and 'Korea-Germany Global Talent Training Platform Project' in ultrafast dynamics and advanced composite material research.

Park Jae-hoon, Director of MPK, said, “By utilizing a world-class research platform and cutting-edge global research facilities to conduct ‘Research on Quantum Properties and Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Topological Quantum New Materials,’ we will devote our utmost efforts to developing quantum property materials and devices optimized for implementing quantum technology that overcomes the limitations of existing materials.” He added, “Through this, we will focus on securing basic original technologies related to quantum materials and devices, nanoprocessing, and nanoimaging.”

Lee Jang-sik, Acting Mayor of Pohang, said, “As the global competition for technological supremacy intensifies, the quantum field is one of the country's top 10 strategic technologies and will play a revolutionary role in strengthening South Korea's technological competitiveness.” He added, “Starting this year, we plan to actively respond to future technology trends by fully supporting nanotechnology and material technology development and talent training.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.