Qian Xuesen's reply 23 years ago inspired the advent of quantum computers

On the morning of December 4, Guo Guangcan, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, officially donated a letter written by Qian Xuesen to the School of Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies of the University of Science and Technology of China. The letter was written by the famous Chinese scientist Qian Xuesen to Academician Guo Guangcan, in which he discussed the issue of quantum information technology and proposed that "China should unify the national forces to overcome the technical problems of quantum information systems." On the same day, the "Guo Guangcan Optical Excellent Doctoral Dissertation Award of the Chinese Optical Society" named after Academician Guo was officially established.

Guo Guangcan, 79-year-old academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and director of the Key Laboratory of Quantum Information of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said: "That letter was an important instruction when we set out."

Guo Guangcan is the pioneer and founder of quantum information science in China. For many years, he has been committed to "bringing quantum computers out of the laboratory and truly serving human society". In 2013, Guo Guoping's research group made a major breakthrough in "solid-state quantum chips" and successfully realized 10-picosecond quantum logic gate operations on "one electron", increasing the original world record by nearly 100 times. In 2020, Guo Guangcan led the Origin Quantum team, which originated from the Key Laboratory of Quantum Information of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, to officially launch the domestically engineered superconducting quantum computer "Origin Wuyuan", which was assembled with the 6-bit quantum chip "Kuafu" KFC6-130, using a superconducting solution, and providing quantum computing services to global users through the Origin Quantum Cloud, competing with international giants such as IBM, Google, and Intel.

"These achievements are full of encouragement from Mr. Qian Xuesen." Recently, at the University of Science and Technology of China, Guo Guangcan showed reporters a letter that Qian Xuesen wrote to him 23 years ago.

For more than 20 years, this letter has been inspiring him to devote himself to the cause of quantum information technology, make outstanding achievements in the fields of quantum computing, quantum secure communications, etc., and cultivate a large number of "quantum talent teams" from the local area.

Let more people understand quantum information

In 1960, Guo Guangcan, a native of Hui'an, Fujian, was admitted to the University of Science and Technology of China and became a student of the third class of the university. "At that time, the school taught young people that they must be responsible, take on major issues that the country needs to solve, be indomitable, and climb to the top." The seeds of dedication to the country were planted in the heart of young Guo Guangcan.

By chance, Guo Guangcan came into contact with quantum optics, which he was extremely interested in. "The quantum world is so mysterious, strange, and full of temptations."

In 1981, Guo Guangcan was sent to the University of Toronto in Canada as a visiting scholar. In the same year, Richard Feynman, the Nobel Prize winner in physics, first proposed the concept of quantum computers. "At that time, there was no research on this in China. When I went abroad, I found that they had been studying it for 20 years." Guo Guangcan secretly made up his mind to promote the development of quantum optics in China.

After returning to China, Guo Guangcan actively promoted the research of quantum optics in China. In 1984, he convened scholars and experts interested in quantum optics from all over the country and held the first quantum optics conference in China at Zuiweng Pavilion in Langya Mountain, Chuzhou. Subsequently, he wrote the first book "Quantum Optics" in China and taught the first systematic quantum optics course in China.

Many researchers have entered the field of quantum optics after reading this book and listening to Guo Guangcan's lectures.

In the 1990s, when quantum information was quietly emerging as an emerging discipline in the international academic community, Guo Guangcan keenly realized that the field of quantum information would be an important part of the country's future development strategy and would definitely play a huge role in national development. Despite many people's opposition, he chose this path without hesitation. "At that time, there was little funding, and many people were not optimistic about us, but we just believed that this field would definitely bear fruit, and we had to keep going even if we ran into many obstacles."

Qian Xuesen wrote back to encourage

In 1998, Guo Guangcan began to organize the Xiangshan Science Conference on "Quantum Communication and Quantum Computing". The Xiangshan Science Conference is a "traditional project" in the Chinese scientific community. It was initiated by the Ministry of Science and Technology (formerly the State Science and Technology Commission) and the conference theme is the scientific frontier issues in basic research and scientific issues in my country's major engineering and technology fields.

After completing all the formalities, there was one thing that bothered him. According to convention, every Xiangshan Conference would find a famous scientist to preside over it. Where could he find this "famous scientist"? Guo Guangcan thought of Qian Xuesen. In his letter to Qian Xuesen, he invited Qian Xuesen to preside over the Xiangshan Science Conference on "Quantum Communication and Quantum Computing".

Unexpectedly, Guo Guangcan soon received a reply from Mr. Qian Xuesen.

Unfortunately, due to his advanced age of 87 and "inconvenient mobility", Mr. Qian "can no longer attend any meetings". Guo Guangcan felt a little sorry for this, saying, "If I had known Mr. Qian's physical condition earlier, I would not have made such an invitation."

More than 20 years later, Guo Guangcan still remembers the details of the letter to reporters. Qian Xuesen said straight to the point in the letter: "I agree with you that we should unite the whole country to overcome the technical problems of quantum information systems. This is a matter of national importance."

Qian Xuesen also said: "Now is the era of socialist market economy. Times have changed. The old methods will not work."

Dedicated to quantum computers serving humanity

"This letter gave me great encouragement and made me think about a way out," said Guo Guangcan.

In 1999, with the support of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guo Guangcan established the Quantum Communication and Quantum Computing Open Laboratory at USTC. In 2001, the laboratory was officially approved by the Chinese Academy of Sciences as a key laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, with the full name of "Key Laboratory of Quantum Information of the Chinese Academy of Sciences", becoming the first provincial and ministerial key laboratory in the field of quantum information in my country.

In 2001, Guo Guangcan applied for the first "973" project in China's quantum information field. More than 50 scientists from more than a dozen important research institutes and famous universities in China collaborated in the research of this project. This project was the first "973" project in my country's quantum information field, and Guo Guangcan served as the chief scientist. He brought together the main teams in this field in China - more than a dozen participating units and more than 50 key researchers. This team became an important team in China's quantum information research force in the future.

In 2003, Professor Guo Guangcan was elected as an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and won the "Ho Leung Ho Lee" Award.

From then on, Guo Guangcan led the team to make in-depth research and innovation in the field of quantum information, and achieved a series of original innovative scientific research results of world-class level in the fields of quantum computing, quantum secure communication, etc. At the same time, he also cultivated a scientific research team with pioneering and innovative capabilities.

In 2017, with the technology originating from the Key Laboratory of Quantum Information of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guo Guangcan's "apprentices" established the leading domestic quantum computing company "Origin Quantum" in Hefei, and began to industrialize quantum computing, committed to "letting quantum computers move out of the laboratory and truly serve human society."

"The development of quantum computers has to go through three stages: quantum prototype, quantum hegemony and quantum general purpose machine. Currently, mankind is moving towards the quantum hegemony stage." Guo Guangcan said: "Even if hegemony comes out, we can't say that quantum computers are ready, because they are still quite far from general purpose machines."

Today, the context of the "national affairs" mentioned in Qian Xuesen's letter, which have been on the minds of generations of scientists, has become increasingly clear.

What makes Academician Guo Guangcan particularly gratified is that "I see young people growing, becoming talented, and thriving in the field of quantum information. I believe they can create a better future for quantum information."

"Guo Guangcan Optical Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award of the Chinese Optical Society" was officially established

On December 4, the signing ceremony of the "Guo Guangcan Optical Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award of the Chinese Optical Society" was held at the same time.

In order to stimulate the innovative spirit of doctoral students, further improve the quality of doctoral education in optics, encourage scientific research talents with innovative ability at the forefront of optics, and promote the development of my country's optical industry, the Chinese Optical Society began to carry out the selection of outstanding doctoral dissertations in optics in 2016.

At the 10th meeting of the 8th Executive Council of the Chinese Optical Society held in Shenzhen on September 18, 2021, the Executive Council reviewed the draft amendment to the Regulations for the Selection of Excellent Doctoral Dissertations in Optics of the Chinese Optical Society and passed a resolution to change the name of the award from Excellent Doctoral Dissertation in Optics of the Chinese Optical Society to "Excellent Doctoral Dissertation in Optics of Guo Guangcan, Chinese Optical Society". The Excellent Doctoral Dissertation in Optics of Guo Guangcan is selected once a year, with no more than 5 award-winning papers selected each time, each with a prize of 10,000 yuan; depending on the actual situation, no more than 10 nominated excellent papers can also be selected, with a prize of 5,000 yuan each.

After the name change, the "Guo Guangcan Excellent Doctoral Dissertation Award in Optics of the Chinese Optical Society" was established with a donation of 2 million yuan from six students of Academician Guo Guangcan - Han Zhengfu, Zhou Zhengwei, Li Chuanfeng, Guo Guoping, Zhang Yongsheng and Huang Yunfeng, and is operated and managed by the Education Foundation of the University of Science and Technology of China.

The establishment of the "Guo Guangcan Optical Excellent Doctoral Dissertation Award of the Chinese Optical Society" is to commend young scientific research talents, promote the development of optical disciplines, and promote the development of my country's optical industry. At the same time, it is also a reward for the outstanding contributions of Academician Guo Guangcan.

(Guangming Daily Omnimedia reporter Chang He, correspondent Zhang Mengyi, Sun Chao)

Source: Guangming Daily Omnimedia reporter Chang He, correspondent Zhang Mengyi, Sun Chao

Editor: Wang Yuanfang

Editor: Sun Dai and Zhu Xiaofan