IBM quantum computer has started a new era in the field of thermonuclear energy
IBM has made a major breakthrough in quantum computing, ushering in a new era, as reported by Zamin.uz.
The company’s quantum computer successfully calculated, for the first time in history, the exact composition of materials needed for nuclear fusion energy. Conducted in collaboration with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the United States, this research is being recognized as one of the most important steps toward developing fusion reactors considered a potential source of limitless energy.
Using a modern quantum system, scientists modeled nine molecular forms of a material considered promising for producing tritium—a key fuel in most current fusion reactor designs.
According to IBM specialists, this marks the first time a quantum computer has successfully solved such a complex, practically significant problem. At the core of the study was a molten salt mixture composed of lithium, beryllium, and fluorine compounds.
This substance is regarded as the most suitable medium for breeding and extracting tritium inside fusion reactors. However, studying and analyzing its molecular properties had previously been an extremely difficult task for conventional technologies and ordinary computers.
To achieve this result, researchers employed a hybrid approach that combined multiple technologies simultaneously—integrating quantum computing, artificial intelligence systems, and high-performance supercomputers.
Such collaboration enables far more accurate predictions of how complex molecules behave compared to traditional methods. As specialists explain, as the size and complexity of the modeled molecules increase, the computational workload for classical machines grows geometrically.
Quantum computers, by their nature, are well-suited to precisely mirror processes at the atomic and molecular levels, which could accelerate scientific progress in this field by years.
This achievement is not just a laboratory experiment—it brings closer the era of building fusion power plants for commercial use. Developing efficient tritium production technology holds decisive importance for energy independence and the transition to clean energy sources.
For countries like Uzbekistan striving for energy stability, such global technological advances will bring significant long-term benefits. The fact that quantum technologies are beginning to solve real industrial and energy challenges signals a shift from theoretical exploration to practical application in this domain.
IBM and its partners now aim to expand the scope of calculations and model even more complex chemical processes.
