The Basel Quantum Center

The BQC brings together 16 research groups in theoretical and experimental quantum science from the Departments of Physics and Chemistry at the University of Basel.

Long-standing excellence in quantum science and technology

The BQC builds on a rich tradition of research in the complementary fields of quantum science and nanoscience, both of which have been focus areas in Basel since the 1990s. In the 2000s, coordinated initiatives emerged, starting with the National Center of Competence in Research Nanoscale Science NCCR Nano from 2001 to 2013. This was followed by the NCCR Quantum Science and Technology NCCR QSIT, which was launched as a cross-institutional platform in 2010 and ran until 2022. Co-led by the University of Basel, NCCR QSIT was one of the first major initiatives worldwide dedicated to quantum science and technology.

A quantum network in the Basel trinational region 

Today, the BQC integrates and coordinates the quantum science and technology activities in the Basel trinational region. It hosts the University of Basel Quantum Computing and Quantum Technologies PhD programme QCQT and the Endress postdoc cluster, a cross-border collaboration with the Albert-Ludwigs University in Freiburg, Germany. The BQC has close links with the NCCR Spin Qubits in Silicon NCCR SPIN and the Swiss Nanoscience Institute SNI, and it is one of the nodes of the Quantum Science and Technologies QUSTEC PhD programme at the European Campus Eucor

A pillar of the Swiss quantum ecosystem

The BQC is one of the four quantum centers in Switzerland. Together with its counterparts in Geneva, Lausanne and Zurich, it organizes the annual Swiss Quantum Days and is represented in the Swiss Quantum Commission, which coordinates the Swiss Quantum Initiative

 

What is quantum science and technology?

Since it was first developed a century ago, quantum mechanics has given us a revolutionary new understanding of nature at the smallest scales. In particular, the theory describes the properties and behavior of the building blocks of matter — atoms and electrons — and those of photons, the elementary particles of light. 

In parallel with an ever-deepening theoretical understanding, insights from quantum physics have laid the foundations for transformative technological developments of the 20th century, including lasers and the semiconductor components at the heart of modern computer chips. Since the 1990s, a second 'quantum revolution' has been underway, driven by remarkable advances in our ability to isolate, measure and control individual molecules, atoms, electrons and photons.

These developments, combined with pioneering theoretical work, have led to ingenious new approaches to computing, communication and sensing, among various other applications. The resulting technologies demonstrate capabilities that surpass fundamental limits of classical physics. Today, this field thrives on interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together researchers from physics, chemistry, engineering, and computer science. The potential applications span diverse areas, from medical imaging to cybersecurity, drawing significant interest from industries worldwide.

 

 

 

 

Contact

Department of Physics
University of Basel
Klingelbergstrasse 82
4056 Basel, Switzerland