INTC Intel Corporation

By Don Clark 

Intel Corp. is joining the race to develop quantum computers, a long-discussed break from conventional electronics aimed at solving problems that are far beyond the reach of today's hardware.

The chip giant said it is investing $50 million as part of a 10-year collaboration with QuTech, an institute in the Netherlands formed in 2013 by Delft University of Technology and the Dutch Organization for Applied Research. Intel also plans to provide its own engineering resources to accelerate advancements in the field.

Scientists have been trying to apply quantum physics to computing for decades, with researchers at companies such as International Business Machines Corp., Microsoft Corp. and Google Inc. also actively working in the field.

The term quantum refers to the unusual properties of matter at the subatomic scale, which may only be observable when materials are cooled to temperatures approaching absolute zero, or minus 459 degrees Fahrenheit.

Conventional computers use binary digits, which express data as either a 1 or 0. Researchers have been exploring alternatives using quantum bits, or qubits, that can simultaneously represent a 1 and 0 at the same time.

A related goal is to make qubits reach what scientists call an entangled state, acting like they are connected while remaining physically apart. If that happens, proponents say quantum computers could carry out many more calculations simultaneously than today's fastest computers.

Intel's entry in the field is notable because of its financial heft and vested interest in conventional computing technology. The company, which spent $11.5 billion on research and development in 2014, focuses heavily on production processes that pack more semiconductors onto silicon chips.

But progress through miniaturization alone is getting harder, and some day may run out of steam altogether. Intel, which had long stayed on a two-year cadence for introducing new production recipes, in July said the future pattern would more likely be on the order of 2 1/2 years.

Mike Mayberry, a vice president who helps lead Intel's research into future technologies, is wading into the field only after seeing recent signs of progress in quantum technology. In addition, he said Intel sees ways it could help tackle remaining hurdles, such as processing signals generated by qubits as well as correcting errors caused by electrical interference.

"We came to the realization that the rate of progress was limited by some things we thought Intel could add value to," Mr. Mayberry said.

Chad Rigetti, a former IBM researcher who now heads a quantum-computing startup called Rigetti Computing, said Intel is arriving late to quantum computing and could use the QuTech partnership to help catch up. "Intel needs to get involved," he said.

Intel and QuTech are particularly interested in applying quantum technology to problems such as simulating the structure and behavior of molecules in ways that aren't feasible now. "There are many materials that are too complex for an ordinary computer to help us understand their properties," said Lieven Vandersypen, a lead scientist at QuTech.

Armed with such knowledge, he said, researchers could work on superconducting materials that could carry electricity much more efficiently over long distances. Another closely watched application for quantum computers is making and breaking codes, for commercial and national-security purposes, Mr. Mayberry said.

Write to Don Clark at don.clark@wsj.com

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 03, 2015 15:18 ET (19:18 GMT)

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