Taiwan is starting to make its mark among the giants of quantum computing. As its National Quantum Technologies Program enters the final year of its first phase, teams such as those from Academia Sinica and various Taiwanese universities have achieved notable milestones in quantum photonics, entanglement, and the generation of exotic light states that could be key for future quantum computers.
Although media visibility is often dominated by the United States, Europe, or China, Taiwan is quietly building a quantum ecosystem based on its long-standing strengths: microelectronics and high-precision photonics.
A national quantum program entering a decisive phase
The Taiwan National Quantum Technologies Program was conceived from the start as a coordinated effort with long-term goals: funding research groups, developing talent, and connecting laboratories with industry.
In this final stretch of the first phase, results are beginning to solidify in three very clear areas:
- More stable and efficient entangled photon sources.
- Optical generators of “Schrödinger’s cat” states.
- Integration of all these into photonic chips, a crucial step for moving technology out of the lab.
These advancements are not just “interesting physics”: they are essential pieces for building photonic quantum computers, secure quantum networks, and ultra-sensitive sensors.
Entangled photons: the raw material of quantum information
A significant part of the effort has focused on improving the generation of entangled photon pairs.
In quantum computing and communication, these photons serve as the equivalent of “entangled bits”: they carry information such that the state of one is linked to the other, even across vast distances. This enables:
- Protocols in quantum cryptography;
- Experiments in quantum state teleportation;
- And schemes of computation based on linear optics and measurement.
Taiwanese groups have worked on sources based on spontaneous parametric emission and on nonlinear structures that produce photons with improved quality (purity, indistinguishability) and fewer losses.
“Schrödinger’s cat” states in optics: from metaphor to tool
One of the most impressive achievements is generating “Schrödinger’s cat” states in optical systems, using heralded photons (heralded photon pairs).
Instead of the famous live/dead cat, here we talk about coherent superpositions of light states, such as “many photons” and “almost no photons” at the same time. These states:
- Are extremely fragile,
- But also very useful for quantum error correction codes based on bosonic modes,
- And for architectures where quantum information is stored in continuous electromagnetic field states rather than in discrete classical qubits like 0/1.
With its tradition in advanced optics, Taiwan is achieving greater control and reproducibility in producing and managing these states—crucial for scaling beyond isolated lab experiments.
Entanglement chips: bringing the lab onto the wafer
Perhaps the most strategic aspect of these advances lies in photonic entanglement chips and other integrated devices.
Instead of setting up large optical tables filled with mirrors and fibers, Taiwanese research groups are integrating:
- Photon sources,
- Light guiding components,
- And measurement elements
on photonic chips fabricated with techniques similar to those used in the semiconductor industry.
For a country that hosts giants like TSMC, this is much more than a technical detail:
- It allows leveraging an existing value chain in wafer fabrication.
- It enables scalability: moving from prototypes to systems with thousands of integrated optical components.
- And it opens the door for Taiwan not only to produce classical chips for AI but also photonic quantum chips for the next generation of technologies.
What role does Taiwan aim to play in the global quantum race?
The global context is clear:
- The United States invests billions in quantum programs and alliances between tech giants and universities.
- China, Europe, and other Asian countries are making strong pushes in quantum computing, communications, and sensing.
Without the massive resource pools of the big blocks, Taiwan is pursuing a high-value niche strategy:
- Focusing on integrated photonics, where it already has industrial strength.
- Building bridges between academia and the semiconductor industry.
- Attracting international projects that require advanced quantum chip manufacturing.
If Taiwan manages to connect these scientific advances—entangled photons, cat states, optical chips—with its manufacturing industry, it could become a key provider of quantum hardware, just as it now is for classical chips in AI and data centers.
What’s next?
With the first phase of the national program nearing completion, the logical next step is:
- Consolidating a second phase with increased funding and goals oriented toward functional prototypes (quantum communication demonstrators, small photonic processors, next-generation sensors, etc.).
- Supporting Taiwanese quantum startups that package these advances into products or services.
- Strengthening collaboration with international quantum hubs to exchange talent, share standards, and position themselves in future quantum supply chains.
These results demonstrate that Taiwan does not want to be just the “world’s factory” for classical chips. It also aims to be at the forefront of applied physics, shaping the quantum technologies of the coming decades.
Frequently Asked Questions about Taiwan’s Quantum Research
What exactly is an entangled photon, and why is it important?
An entangled photon is a particle of light whose quantum state is correlated with another photon. Changes or measurements on one affect the other in non-classical ways. They are essential for secure quantum communications, state teleportation, and many photonic-based quantum computing proposals.
What is a “Schrödinger’s cat” state in optics?
In quantum optics, a cat state is a superposition of two very different light states (for example, “a lot of light” and “almost none”) simultaneously. They are useful for exploring the boundary between quantum and classical worlds and for designing quantum error correction codes that help stabilize quantum information.
Why does Taiwan focus on quantum photonics rather than only superconducting or trapped-ion qubits?
Because quantum photonics aligns well with current industrial infrastructure: chip factories, materials know-how, and advanced fabrication processes. This makes integrated optical quantum circuits easier to produce and scale. Additionally, photons are excellent carriers of quantum information for communication and networking.
Will we see Taiwanese quantum computers on the market soon?
In the short term, it’s more realistic to expect specialized modules (photon sources, entanglement chips, network components) developed in Taiwan and integrated into international systems. Fully functional quantum computers are still a mid- to long-term goal, but these advances are important steps toward that horizon.