Zurich Instruments and its parent company Rohde & Schwarz have been selected as instrumentation partners for the National Quantum Computing Testbed Facility (NQCT) in Queensland, Australia. The testbed is led by The University of Queensland (UQ) under the direction of Associate Professor Arkady Fedorov and is supported by nearly AU$6 million ($3.9 million USD) in funding from the Quantum and Advanced Technologies Commercialisation Infrastructure Program. The project aims to provide the Australian quantum research community with low-cost, open-access quantum computing capabilities and deep low-level hardware access not typically available via commercial cloud platforms.
The NQCT will utilize superconducting quantum processors and include contributions from QuantWare, which will provide a Soprano-D 5-qubit QPU, Crescendo-S J-TWPA, and shielding. Zurich Instruments will supply its Quantum Computing Control System (QCCS), which is already proven to be interoperable with QuantWare’s QPUs. Rohde & Schwarz will contribute RF measurement instrumentation for system characterization, including vector network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, and oscilloscopes. The testbed will be implemented in two phases: a continuously available quantum computing setup and a second, more advanced development system.
The facility will serve as a platform for research in hardware interface optimization, error correction, and system-level calibration. It also aims to foster domestic capabilities in QPU development and manufacturing. The user interface will incorporate CSIRO’s software stack integrated with Zurich Instruments’ LabOne Q backend. This initiative is part of Queensland’s broader quantum strategy and supports the national goal of developing sovereign quantum capabilities.
Full details are available in the official announcement from Zurich Instruments here.
May 22, 2025
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