MASSY-PALAISEAU, France — The competitiveness of quantum computers, as directly observed at Pasqal's headquarters and research labs, is advancing rapidly. Beyond the technological superiority quantum computers hold over other computing devices, dramatic improvements are also being made in manufacturing capacity. This signals that the foundation is being laid for quantum technology to take root as a core solution across diverse industries, including artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Pasqal was in the process of expanding its manufacturing facilities from its research lab to its headquarters. The new manufacturing facility at headquarters houses nine quantum processing unit (QPU) bays, enabling production of quantum computers for both research and development and data center (cloud) applications. In addition to France, the company has established a production facility in Canada to supply the North American market.
Founded in 2019 out of France's Institut d'Optique, Pasqal succeeded in developing its first quantum computer that same year — the same year Google announced it had built its first quantum computer. Pasqal drew attention by becoming the first in the world to commercialize a 200-qubit quantum computer. Alain Aspect, one of Pasqal's co-founders and a leading quantum physicist, was awarded the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics for proving the existence of quantum entanglement. Pasqal went on to successfully demonstrate a 1,000-qubit system in 2024. A qubit is the basic unit of information processing in a quantum computer, utilizing the quantum states of matter.
Building on its early technological leadership, Pasqal has attracted top talent and dramatically shortened its manufacturing timeline. Of its more than 275 employees, approximately 70 hold doctoral degrees. "In the past, it took more than two years to complete a quantum computer, but now nine to 12 months is sufficient," engineer Gaëtan Hercé explained. Unlike conventional manufacturing plants, quantum computer production requires skilled technicians to manually optimize numerous components during the process, meaning only quantum companies with solid track records can achieve manufacturing innovation.
That is not all. Unlike competitors, Pasqal's quantum computers do not require cryogenic freezers and operate at room temperature of approximately 20 degrees Celsius. Atoms generally maintain stable states at low temperatures, which is why refrigeration equipment is typically installed in quantum computers. Pasqal, however, has adopted a method that uses lasers to adjust atomic alignment for computation.
At the quantum computer manufacturing site, which was opened to Korean media for the first time, employees were using optical equipment to fire lasers. Precisely calibrated lasers are directed at specific atoms to align atomic arrays, thereby creating quantum entanglement — the interaction between atoms. Quantum entanglement must be achieved for a quantum computer to process complex calculations in one step that would take conventional computers years. "Since alignment is at the quantum level, the laser targeting range is only a few micrometers, but Pasqal's leading design capabilities make laser-based alignment very straightforward," Hercé said. "We manage temperature fluctuations to within 0.1 degrees to ensure this alignment remains stable."
The superiority of neutral-atom technology also lies in advancing QPU performance. Superconducting quantum computer technology faces the problem of requiring an increasing number of internal cables in proportion to the number of qubits. Neutral-atom technology, by contrast, controls quantum units with laser beams — essentially a wireless technology — enabling flexible performance scaling within the same physical footprint.
Pasqal aims to go further by introducing new technology to develop a 10,000-qubit quantum computer, a feat never yet achieved anywhere in the world. "Because we control qubit units with laser technology inside a vacuum chamber, we can scale up to 1,000 qubits within the same product specifications," said Roberto Mauro, head of Pasqal's Korea office. "To subsequently increase the number of qubits within a single QPU from 1,000 to 10,000, we will use photonic integrated circuits (PIC), an advanced optical technology that enables more precise control than solid-state lasers."
Pasqal's competitiveness is being recognized around the world. Beyond France and Saudi Arabia, its quantum computers are installed in Italy, Canada, and Germany. Italy, which adopted a Pasqal quantum computer last month, integrated it with its domestic supercomputer to build an independent hybrid infrastructure. Efforts to integrate existing AI infrastructure with quantum computers are expected to continue across Europe. Three of the eight quantum computers commissioned by the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) are already Pasqal systems.
Analysts note that Europe is bolstering its quantum technology leadership by strengthening quantum initiative strategies alongside its AI infrastructure policies. The European Commission announced an ambitious plan in July last year to become a global leader in quantum technology by 2030. The plan includes: establishing quantum design facilities and six quantum semiconductor pilot lines; building pilot facilities for commercializing a European quantum internet; expanding quantum cluster networks across the EU; and developing a space quantum technology roadmap. "The EU's quantum strategy will help maintain Europe's scientific leadership," the European Commission emphasized. "It will strengthen the EU's technological sovereignty and security."
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