• National Quantum Mission could be a game changer in multiple sectors, from defence, energy, and environment to healthcare and civil applications.
• For India, investments in quantum materials and devices can generate a cadre of highly skilled workforce.
• It will cater to quantum technologies and major scientific megaprojects ranging from the semiconductor mission to neutrino observatory and gravitational wave detection.
• The infrastructure will play a key role in building self-reliance in the energy and electronics industries.

Quantum materials

• Quantum materials are a class of matter or systems that allow the exploitation of some of the unique properties of quantum physics and accomplish tasks that classical technology is incapable of.
• The concept of “quantum materials” was originally introduced to identify some of the exotic quantum systems such as:
• Unconventional superconductors,
• Heavy-fermion systems, and
• Multifunctional oxides.
• It has turned into a powerful unifying concept across diverse fields of science and engineering, including solid-state physics, cold atoms, materials science and quantum computing.
• Cold Atoms: atoms cooled to close to absolute zero whereby their quantum mechanical properties are unveiled.

Research and Development of Quantum Materials and Devices

• R&D in quantum materials today embraces traditional semiconductors, superconductors, and non-linear optical crystals directly relevant to computing, communication, and sensing.
• It encompasses materials based on complex charge-atom interactions, geometric phase uniqueness of quantum wave functions, and hidden quantum properties like entanglement.
• Introduction of ultrafast transistors and opto-electronics components, as well as non-volatile memory and sensing devices, are becoming enabling vehicles for quantum applications.

Quantum Devices:

• Research on new architectures to incorporate quantum materials into functional units has progressed simultaneously, leading to the concept of “quantum devices”.

Importance of Quantum Materials and Devices

• Quantum Materials and Devices are essential components for any quantum technology mission.
• Materials experts contribute to precision synthesis, scalable yield, and stable performance.
• Research will be required to focus on developing low-loss materials for superconducting quantum electronics, novel semiconductor nanostructures for entangled photon sources, and more.
• Research impact extends across multiple verticals of quantum technologies, requiring dedicated and centralized material/device infrastructures.

Objectives of the National Quantum Mission

• Build infrastructure for new materials and devices through in-house R&D.
• Foster collaboration among the geographically distributed material workforce in India.
• Ensure efficient resource utilization, minimize redundancy, and avoid duplication.
• Foster innovation in quantum materials and devices under a unified umbrella.
• Employ a project-driven, multi-disciplinary approach for fundamental discoveries, engineering breakthroughs, and entrepreneurial initiatives to advance quantum technology in India.

Evolving scientific infrastructure in India

• National initiatives like the Nano Mission have contributed to capacity building in the past two decades.
• It resulted in a significant five-fold increase in research publications in the relevant field between 2011 and 2019.
• A strong community of material modelling and computing expertise exists from the National Supercomputing Mission and local computing facilities.

Challenges of National Quantum Mission

Start-up

• Nearly 12 per cent of start-ups are deep tech-related, this represents a nearly 35 times increase between 2016 and 2019.
• However, less than 3 per cent of these involve manufacturing and/or materials.
• Materials and devices-based innovation will create new businesses from manufacturing supporting equipment.
• India currently imports semiconductor-based single-photon detectors, at the bulk scale.

Infrastructure

• India does not have enough infrastructure that can support the entire chain of operation.

R&D community

• The sub-critical size of the country’s R&D community is a matter of concern.
• In 2018, India had 253 full-time equivalent researchers per million of its population, about 11 per cent of the researcher density of Italy.
• The workforce is distributed across the country, and strategies will be required to integrate them.

India needs to create an R&D ecosystem where material research for near-term goals and applications needs to coexist. This will help serendipitous outcomes to be immediately recognised, systematically characterised, engineered, and put to use. Material domains in all aspects of quantum technology such as computing, communications, and sensing, are still developing. Hence there is a chance that through timely investment and efficient management, India will emerge as a global leader in the field.