Superconducting Quantum Technologies: Opportunities and Challenges

by Prof. Elisabetta Paladino (University of Catania)

Monday Nov 17, 2025, 4:00 PM → 5:00 PM Europe/Madrid

C7b/058 - Seminar (IFAE Main Building C7b)

Quantum technologies are rapidly emerging as a cornerstone for
next-generation innovations in energy, education, communications, and
healthcare. Recognizing their transformative potential, UNESCO has
designated 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and
Technologies.
Among the diverse physical platforms under development, superconducting
circuits have established themselves as the leading architecture for the
realization of scalable quantum processors. Their compatibility with
well-established microfabrication techniques, high gate fidelities, and
the potential for large-scale integration make them the most promising
candidates for practical quantum computation.
In this colloquium, I will introduce the fundamental building blocks of
superconducting quantum processors and discuss the key design principles
underlying their operation. Particular attention will be devoted to
current challenges — including decoherence, error correction, and
interconnectivity — which still limit the path toward fault-tolerant
quantum computation and the ultimate goal of large-scale quantum supremacy