The UK-CSQS collaboration, with founder members Lancaster University, Royal Holloway London and the National Physical Laboratory, brings together the UK’s most experienced scientists working on superconducting quantum technologies and aims to provide shared access to nanofabrication and measurement facilities at all three sites.

Professor Yuri Pashkin, co-director of the Quantum Technology Centre at Lancaster University, said: “Together with our founder member colleagues, we hope to widen the collaboration to include all UK academics working on superconducting devices and to provide them with a centre offering the best available nanofabrication facilities worldwide, free of access charges."

As part of the creation of the UK-CSQS, Royal Holloway has been awarded £2.7M for a new nanofabrication and clean-room facility. The award from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) establishes UK-CSQS as the national centre for nanofabrication in the rapidly advancing field of superconducting quantum electronics.

Research in this field could lead to new and unique types of ultra-sensitive sensing devices and aid the construction of a superconducting quantum computer.

Science Minister Jo Johnson said: “We are committed to securing the UK’s position as a world leader in science and innovation. The Government is ensuring major new discoveries happen here, such as the creation of super-powerful quantum computers. This new funding builds on our protection for science spending by supporting research in our world-leading universities and helping to train the science leaders of tomorrow.”

The new facility is expected to come on stream in the summer of 2017.