From complex mathematics to real-world impact: quantum innovation with ASML
In high-tech industries like semiconductor manufacturing, mathematical problems are becoming increasingly demanding. Growing data volumes and extreme precision requirements push classical computing to its limits, making optimization and data processing harder, slower, and more costly.
Quantum computing for complex engineering problems
How can we use quantum computers to help solve complex engineering problems? This was the central question of the ASML use case on quantum computing for plasma modeling. At the heart of these models lies the Finite Element Method, a numerical technique that involves solving large systems of linear equations. While classical computers are highly effective, they face fundamental limitations as system sizes grow. The research explores a hybrid approach where part of the computation is translated into a QUBO-problem: a type of optimization problem that can be run quite naturally on a quantum computer.
The film visualises this approach in an accessible way, translating abstract mathematics into clear, intuitive animations that reveal the logic and elegance behind the solution.
What’s next?
This project is part of a larger mission: making quantum computing accessible and impactful across sectors such as energy, healthcare, and logistics. By showing how an abstract mathematical problem can be transformed into a concrete solution, this collaboration marks an important step towards that ambition.
The next step is to bring these solutions closer to real-world deployment by testing them in realistic industrial settings. At the same time, QAL invites other organizations to explore how quantum computing can help solve their complex challenges.
