BERLIN, June 15 (Xinhua) -- U.S. technology company IBM and the German research organization Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft on Tuesday presented IBM's first quantum computer in Europe and launched a quantum computing research platform in Germany.
"With 27 qubits, this is currently the most powerful system anywhere in Europe," according to a joint statement.
A qubit or quantum bit is the basic unit of quantum information -- the quantum version of the classic binary bit.
The research platform would be available to companies and research organizations to develop and test application-related quantum algorithms and to build up know-how.
The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft would operate the quantum computer, which is installed in a center near the German city of Stuttgart. All processed project and user data would remain in Germany at all times and be subject to the country's data protection law, the statement said.
"There is a huge interest, both in industry and the world of research, in bringing quantum computing into use as a future key technology for securing competitiveness and technological sovereignty," said Reimund Neugebauer, president of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Enditem
