Hamamatsu Photonics accelerates development toward the industrialization of quantum computers

2025/08/06
  • Hamamatsu Photonics K. K.
    Headquarters: 325-6, Sunayama-cho, Chuo-ku,
    Hamamatsu City, Japan
    President and CEO: Tadashi Maruno

Hamamatsu Photonics has been selected for a project called "Development of Post 5G Information Communication Systems / Accelerating the Development of Quantum Computers toward Industrialization" as part of the " Research and Development Project of the Enhanced Infrastructures for Post-5G Information and Communication Systems" run by NEDO, Japan.
The aim is to develop an ultra-high-speed camera and other related devices for quantum computers.

 

Hamamatsu Photonics has been selected for a project called "Accelerating the Development of Quantum Computers toward Industrialization” as part of the "Research and Development Project of the Enhanced Infrastructures for Post-5G Information and Communication Systems". This project is run by NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization), which serves as a national research and development agency in Japan.
 

Over a three-year period, from 2025 to 2027, Hamamatsu Photonics will develop an ultra-high-speed camera, a high-resolution, high-sensitivity camera, and a high-resolution spatial light modulator, as well as the related technologies essential for quantum computing (*).
 

Quantum computers are an important computing platform technology capable of solving large scale computational problems that are impossible to solve with conventional technologies. With the potential to bring about a new industrial revolution, we are now seeing large-scale investments in quantum computers being made around the world. This has led to an acceleration toward their industrialization and commercial use driven by several startups in related fields.
 

A variety of cutting-edge techniques have been proposed to build quantum computers, such as the neutral atom approach, trapped-ion approach, and photonic approach. Many companies are boosting their development in response. Under these circumstances, NEDO is calling for applications to join the “Accelerating the Development of Quantum Computers toward Industrialization” project, aiming to be the first in the world to industrialize quantum computers. This project includes the development of quantum computer systems using various approaches by private sector businesses, the development of components, materials, and middleware in which Japanese companies have technical strength, and also intensive support for developing human resources. Hamamatsu Photonics has applied to become part of this project and our proposal was accepted as a sole company.
 

Hamamatsu Photonics has already developed, manufactured, and sold the world’s first ultra-high sensitivity cameras capable of identifying the number of photons, mainly for neutral-atom-based quantum computers. Furthermore, our LCOS-SLM (Optical phase modulator) has also received high praise from researchers in the field of neutral atom quantum computers. This demonstrates that the company already has the core technologies needed to industrialize quantum computers. In the three-year period from 2025 to 2027, they plan to develop prototypes for an ultra-high-speed camera, a high-resolution, high-sensitivity camera, and a high-resolution, spatial light modulator needed to industrialize neutral-atom-based quantum computers, especially for large-scale computations and systematization. Hamamatsu will also develop laser stabilization technology for wavelength stabilization of laser systems. In collaboration with the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), RIKEN, and domestic and foreign quantum computer manufacturers, they plan to evaluate and rate these prototypes to apply them not only to the neutral atom approach but also to the photonic and trapped-ion approaches. The total amount of subsidy will likely amount to around 3 billion yen.

 

*: Quantum computers are a type of computer that utilizes concepts from quantum mechanics to perform advanced computational tasks, making them promising for solving a vast spectrum of problems at high speeds.