Japanese holding company Hamamatsu Photonics, its subsidiary NKT Photonics, and startup Yaqumo have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop and commercialize photonic systems for cold-atom quantum computers.
According to the press release, the agreement lays the groundwork for collaborative R&D projects, the creation of industrial optical modules, and the establishment of a global supply chain for key components.
In neutral atom quantum systems, photonic lasers play a critical role: they are used for cooling, trapping, manipulating qubit states, and subsequently reading information.
Hamamatsu Photonics will provide expertise in photodetectors and ultra-sensitive imaging systems. NKT Photonics will develop specialized laser technologies and fiber-optic solutions. Yaqumo will focus on hardware, developing its own scalable architecture based on ytterbium atoms.
The signing ceremony took place on June 3 at the official residence of the Danish ambassador in Japan.
Attendees included Jingo Kikukawa, the director-general of the Bureau of Innovation and Environment at Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Jarl Friis-Madsen, the Danish ambassador to Japan.
Yaqumo noted that this initiative is part of an intergovernmental agreement between Japan and Denmark on cooperation in quantum technologies, signed in 2025.
The partners expect that this collaboration will enable Japan to secure stable supplies of optical components for its national quantum industry, while Denmark aims to strengthen its position as a global hub for high-tech equipment manufacturing.
As a reminder, in May, scientists from Australia created a full-cycle photonic chip for quantum systems.
In June, Dutch company QuiX Quantum installed the first Feed-Forward Control Unit designed to manage a photonic quantum computer.