How To Build Your Own Quantum Computer - American Physical Society
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Q&AHow To Build Your Own Quantum ComputerFebruary 26, 2026• Physics 19, 24A group of physicists are developing a quantum computer that’s entirely open source, from hardware to software APS/Carin Cain; S. Charles/University of Waterloo APS/Carin Cain; S. Charles/University of Waterloo × No one in industry nor academia has yet managed to demonstrate a commercially useful quantum computing application. Nonetheless, public and private entities continue to invest billions of dollars into developing quantum applications with hopes of major returns. Some analysts project that the technology could generate $1 trillion by 2035. Amid this speculation, a group of physicists believe that they can cut through the hype with an open-source quantum computer. Roger Melko, Crystal Senko, and Rajibul Islam of the University of Waterloo in Canada teamed up with Greg Dick, formerly an executive at Perimeter Institute, also in Canada, to found a nonprofit called Open Quantum Design (OQD) in 2024. The company consists of quantum developers from academia and industry who pay a membership fee to participate in project-specific working groups. Other funding comes from the Canadian government and philanthropic organizations. OQD’s flagship project is a collaboration with the University of Waterloo to build an open-source, 30-qubit trapped-ion quantum computer.
The team aims to demonstrate quantum algorithms in about a year. But unlike commercial ventures, the plan is to give away all the intellectual property—circuit designs, CAD models, optical layouts, and more—needed to recreate that hardware and the software that controls it. Senko and Dick spoke to Physics Magazine about OQD’s efforts to build transparency into quantum computing. All interviews are edited for brevity and clarity. Why build an open-source quantum computer? Dick: If you look at the industrial revolution, the Internet, artificial intelligence, or every technological revolution in the past, wealth has been concentrated in the hands of few. Instead, we have an opportunity to put quantum computing in the hands of all humanity. Senko: It lowers the barrier to entry for the many people trying to tackle quantum computing. Would-be developers can get their hands dirty before they raise 100 million dollars in venture funding. Also, if we can develop a common set of open-source techniques, people won’t have to keep reinventing the wheel. Dick: Our company doesn’t have a profit motive to oversell the technology, so we can be radically transparent about it. Can you tell us some specs of the quantum computer you’re building? Senko: It’s still under final testing phases. We’ve got the hardware to trap chains of ions and perform entangling gates. We aim to have fidelities—a measure of qubit accuracy—around 99% for two-qubit gates. It won’t be as powerful or as robust to errors as cutting-edge machines, but it’s not meant to be. Instead of pushing to be the biggest and baddest quantum computer on Earth, we’re trying to make the most understandable and accessible one. Another argument your group has made for open source is that it will help develop talent and accelerate innovation. How? Senko: I encounter lots of motivated students who have taught themselves the basics of quantum computing. But currently, they largely only have access to quantum-software educational resources. We’re hoping open-source designs and instructions will help people learn hardware-development skills, like how to manipulate the electronics, optics, and vacuum. Dick: One hurdle to developing talent is access to machines that learners can take apart and put back together. We want our open-source materials to teach people not only to build the machine but also how to use it. We want entrepreneurs to play with it to iterate on their ideas. How do companies benefit from collaborating with you? Senko: Our partnership with Canadian start-up Xanadu has been particularly fruitful. Their primary tech is a photonics-based quantum computer, but they also develop high-level software. They engage with OQD to make sure that that their compiler and other software are compatible with other types of hardware besides photonic quantum computing. They’ve been working closely with us to understand the control electronics that we use for our ion traps. Dick: It’s the clear set of rules about information sharing that allows these collaborations to happen. Companies can decide whether to contribute because the rules of engagement are clear from day one. Why is the Canadian government interested in open source? Dick: The Canadian government is interested in transparent access. They’re also interested in technological sovereignty, which is the idea that every country wants agency over their own cloud services and other critical digital infrastructure. Leaning into open source is a real opportunity for technological sovereignty. That seems counterintuitive. How does open-source technology lead to countries having more control over their cloud? Dick: Right. You’re thinking, how could you have more sovereignty when you’re giving it all away? But for-profit technology means less transparency in the designs. There could be vulnerabilities that you just don’t know. Also, open source means that a user is less likely to get vendors, where they rely on a single supplier for a product. You’re trying to counteract hype. How have you encountered it, and how do you respond? Senko: People tend to conflate what’s happening this year with what may happen this decade or even this century. Yes, we think quantum computing is going to be terrific. No, it’s not going to solve climate change tomorrow or cure cancer next year. Companies are projecting out to problems that quantum computing could help solve years or decades from now. There’s even pressure for academics to do this. Reviewers will ask why my grant applications don’t say I can do some ridiculous thing that somebody else is claiming. We need to make clear what timeline we’re talking about. What realistically can we expect from quantum computing in the near future? Senko: This year, the hardware has advanced enough that the community is starting to test fault-tolerant quantum gates. I’m hopeful that we’ll be testing fault-tolerant quantum circuits on a very small scale with maybe a few logical qubits. People studying lattice gauge theories or quantum chemistry are investigating algorithms that could be scaled up if the hardware were there. In technology development, people are working on putting more qubits together. I believe in the technology, and we’re going to be able to solve interesting problems. But I want to respect the amount of work required. –Sophia ChenSophia Chen is a freelance science writer based in Columbus, Ohio.Recent ArticlesSoft MatterHow to Make a Star-Shaped DropletFebruary 27, 2026An oil droplet within a watery fluid becomes nonspherical at certain temperatures—reversibly transforming from a hexagon to a six-pointed star. 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