Practical, reliable optical quantum computer to integrate NTT’s IOWN technologies and OptQC’s optical quantum computer development technologies

News Highlights：

• NTT and OptQC aim to build a 1-million qubit quantum computer based on light, rather than electricity, to enhance reliability, scalability and practicality.
• Use cases for a practical optical quantum computer range from drug discovery and financial services to materials design and climate change prediction.
• NTT and OptQC set five-year plan for optical quantum computer realization, including the development of hardware and software.

NTT, Inc. (NTT) and OptQC Corp. (OptQC) have signed a collaboration agreement to realize a 1-million qubit optical quantum computer by 2030. Under the agreement, NTT will provide quantum error correction and optical communication technologies developed as part of the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) Initiative to OptQC’s quantum computing platform to commercialize practical, scalable and reliable optical quantum computers.

NTT announced the collaboration during the 2025 R&D Forum, an invite-only event hosted by NTT Group companies in Tokyo to demonstrate the company’s technological leadership in the fields of optical and quantum computing, artificial intelligence, digital security, mobility, infrastructure and more. The theme of this year’s forum is IOWN: Quantum Leap.

Quantum Computer Development Today

In conventional classical computers, information represented by electrical signals is processed by semiconductor processors. In optical systems, however, the information is carried by light through methods based on the various physical quantities of light, such as the number of photons, polarization and amplitude.

Quantum computers are expected to solve complex problems that would require enormous amounts of time using classical computation, with use cases including new drug development, new material design, financial optimization, climate change prediction and much more. However, quantum computers today are extremely sensitive to their environment, with even a slight noise or fluctuation disrupting their quantum state and producing incorrect results. To realize a practical and commercial quantum computer, it is necessary to realize the stable control of quantum states at a scale of 1-million qubits while correcting errors.

Today, new quantum computing technologies are being researched and developed globally; however, many require special environments such as low temperatures or vacuums, posing significant technical hurdles to practical application.

NTT and OptQC Take an Optical Approach to Quantum

Optical quantum computers, which utilize the properties of light, present a promising solution as a new approach with low power consumption that can operate at room temperature and pressure.

The optical quantum computer under development by NTT and OptQC will combine NTT's optical communications and quantum error correction technologies with OptQC's optical quantum computer development technologies. The companies have set a target goal of 2030 to achieve scalability to the 1-million qubit scale, which is an indicator of the practicality of quantum computers, and to establish error correction technologies to ensure reliability.

The companies will begin with four primary areas of joint study:

1. Development of multiplexing and error correction technologies applicable to optical quantum computers
2. Creation of use cases and development of algorithms and software for optical quantum computers
3. Building a supply chain for optical quantum computers
4. Promoting social implementation of optical quantum computers and related use cases

The Role of Each Company

NTT has been conducting research and development in the optical communications field for decades, including under the IOWN Initiative. The IOWN Initiative aims to realize advanced communications infrastructure using optical photonic technology enabling ultra-high capacity, ultra-low latency and ultra-low power consumption. NTT expects to apply its quantum light source, optical multiplexing (technology for simultaneously transmitting multiple optical signals over a single transmission line) and error correction technology to the development of the optical quantum computer.

OptQC has successfully developed the world's first new optical quantum computer that operates at room temperature and pressure and is accelerating efforts toward its practical implementation through projects such as the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization’s "Post-5G Information and Communications System Infrastructure Strengthening Research and Development Project."

Recent Success and Looking Ahead

In November 2024, NTT, the RIKEN Quantum Computing Research Center, the Quantum Control Research Team and Fixstars Amplify announced the world's first platform for general-purpose optical quantum computing.

In January 2025, researchers with NTT, the Graduate School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo and the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology realized the world's first general-purpose optical quantum computing platform capable of performing calculations using optical pulses with strong quantum properties.

Looking ahead, NTT and OptQC will conduct joint research over the next five years. In the first year, the companies will begin technical studies and collaborate with additional partners to create use cases for optical quantum computing. In the second year, the companies will build a development environment; in the third year, the companies will verify use cases.

NTT and OptQC will continue their efforts with the aim of realizing a 1-million qubit optical quantum computer by 2030 while developing applications that contribute to the solution of real-world problems.

About NTT

NTT contributes to a sustainable society through the power of innovation. We are a leading global technology company providing services to consumers and businesses as a mobile operator, infrastructure, networks, applications, and consulting provider. Our offerings include digital business consulting, managed application services, workplace and cloud solutions, data center and edge computing, all supported by our deep global industry expertise. We are over $90B in revenue and 340,000 employees, with $3B in annual R&D investments. Our operations span across 80+ countries and regions, allowing us to serve clients in over 190 of them. We serve over 75% of Fortune Global 100 companies, thousands of other enterprise and government clients and millions of consumers.

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The optical quantum computer under development by NTT and OptQC will combine NTT's optical communications and quantum error correction technologies with OptQC's optical quantum computer development technologies.