Wrocław University of Science and Technology has launched Poland’s first quantum computer using superconducting low-temperature qubits technology.
The five-qubit machine, which has been given the name “Odra 5”, weighs one and a half tonnes and is three metres high, with its distinctive cryostat surrounded by a metal cylinder hanging from the ceiling.
The polytechnic specimen is located at the Wrocław Centre for Networking and Supercomputing and is based on low-temperature superconducting cubite technology and operates at a temperature of 10 mK (millikelvin), or -273.14°C. It was developed and supplied by IQM Quantum Computers, the world leader in superconducting quantum computers.
“This is a special moment for me because I am a quantum physicist and have been very theoretically involved in quantum computing. The idea of performing calculations in this way is not that old, because it was the 1980s, and now several decades have passed and at the Wrocław University of Science and Technology we have the first quantum computer not only in Poland, but also in this part of Europe. May it turn out years later that this is the beginning of a new era of quantum computing,” – said Prof Arkadiusz Wójs, rector of the Wrocław Tech, during the ceremony.
Quantum Power Explained
The computer is tailored to the needs of the university and research laboratories and will be made available to research staff, doctoral students and students.
“From the point of view of our faculty, this is a great thing because it opens up new research opportunities, and in the future we are also considering launching a special course dedicated to quantum computing. A new research circle related to quantum computing has already been established, and its creation has been met with great interest from students. We have a unique opportunity to be at the forefront of research and science in this field and I hope we will seize it,” emphasised Professor Andrzej Kucharski, Dean of the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology at Wrocław Tech.
Odra 5 is prepared to work with leading quantum computing environments. It will provide a base for learning to operate these technologies on a larger scale. With the purchase and commissioning of the five-cubit machine, Wrocław Tech also gains access to larger machines, 20- and over 50-qubits, installed at the IQM centre in Alto, Finland.
”We believe our system will play a key role in enabling scientists and engineers to realise the potential of quantum technology and build a thriving community of quantum experts for the future,” Sylwia Barthel de Weydenthal, country director for Central and Eastern Europe at IQM Quantum Computers, adds.
A New Field of Study
Wrocław University of Science and Technology is planning to launch a new academic program in quantum computing, aimed at educating computer scientists to work with quantum technologies.
“It’s important to understand that current computer science education is still based entirely on classical machines—often even single-processor systems. This is traditional computer science, which has changed very little since the 1970s,” said Prof. Wojciech Bożejko.
The new program will bridge this gap, preparing students for the rapidly evolving field of quantum information science.
Ph: Wrocław University of Science and Technology
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