Custom System MAQCS: Multicore Atomic Quantum Computing System

MAQCS: Multicore Atomic Quantum Computing System

MAQCS is a €20 million project funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education, Research and Technology (BMFTR) to build and deploy a fully-digital, 1,000-qubit neutral-atom quantum computer at the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre (LRZ).

MAQCS delivers a universally programmable quantum computer based on neutral atoms arranged in optical lattices. Its pioneering multi-core design enables parallelization and latency-hiding techniques that significantly increase operational efficiency. By surpassing the 1,000-qubit threshold, the system provides a powerful foundation for applications.

The project will reach Technology Readiness Level 6, demonstrating the quantum computer not as a laboratory setup but as a fully integrated co-processor inside LRZ’s HPC ecosystem. LRZ users will gain seamless access via cloud interfaces. This integration is enabled through LRZ’s Munich Quantum Software Stack (MQSS), which tightly couples quantum hardware with HPC workflows.

MAQCS System Specifications 

  • Neutral atoms

    in optical lattices are the basis of our quantum computing platform

  • >1,000
qubits

    The qubit count of our prototype is industry-leading

  • Multi-core architecture

    with latency-hiding parallel processing

We’re excited to bring planqc’s neutral atom system into LRZ and to work together to merge its unique capabilities into our integrated High-Performance Computing and Quantum Computing (HPCQC) environment for the benefit of our users’ research. The potential wins for next-generation hybrid computing are many.

Prof. Dr. Dieter Kranzlmüller, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Head of the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre (LRZ) 

Project Facts

Project
Multicore Atomic Quantum Computing System (MAQCS) 
Scope
Development and deployment of a 1,000-qubit, universally programmable neutral-atom quantum computer integrated into LRZ’s HPC environment 
Duration
–
Funding
€ 19.1 million (74.4 % funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Education, Research and Technology (BMFTR, formerly BMBF) 
Partners
planqc (Coordinator)
Leibniz Supercomputing Centre (LRZ)
Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics (MPQ)

Project Lead

  • Davide Dreon

    Head of Product Development

Join us on our mission

Join us on our mission

At planqc, world-leading researchers, experimental physicists, engineers, business and software experts work side by side to turn fundamental science into transformative technology. We're always looking for people who want to shape the future of quantum computing with us.
Career opportunities