As the Government accelerates its economic reform agenda, with a focus on productivity and harnessing data and digital technology, investing in quantum-enabling technologies stands out as a smart move, writes Professor Malin Premaratne in Monash Lens.
According to Professor Premaratne, Australia has the opportunity to become a leader in quantum device technology – not just quantum computing – as it works to secure its technological future by strengthening local manufacturing and sovereign capability.
Available to comment:
Professor Malin Premaratne, Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering
Contact: +61 3 9903 4840 or [email protected]
Comments attributable to Professor Premaratne:
“The real quantum revolution won’t come from algorithms alone – it’ll come from devices small enough to hold in your hand, but powerful enough to change the world.
“While quantum computing dominates headlines, many of the most impactful quantum technologies are already here – quietly powering medical diagnostics, energy innovations, and next-generation electronics.
“Quantum sensors can now detect early-stage cancers through molecular vibrations, and new photovoltaic materials can generate electricity even at night by harvesting ambient heat. These are not concepts – they're working devices, built on real quantum principles.
“Our team at Monash is actively advancing the materials and systems behind these breakthroughs, including work on quantum thermal transistors and quantum-enhanced detectors for biological imaging.
“If Australia wants to be competitive in the global quantum race, building a skilled workforce is essential – one that can design, build and commercialise quantum systems. That means developing deep expertise in nanofabrication, optics and materials science.”
Monash University's expertise in quantum device technology
Monash University stands at the forefront of quantum device research, pioneering groundbreaking theoretical and experimental advancements over two decades of multidisciplinary innovation. Its extensive collaborations span prestigious global institutions such as NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory at Caltech, Oxford University, and Australian universities, bringing together expertise from the faculties of science, engineering, medicine, and IT.
Leveraging state-of-the-art facilities – including the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication, High-Performance Computing (HPC) cluster and Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy – Monash researchers are spearheading breakthroughs in quantum energy sources including spasers and lasers, advanced metamaterials, and next-generation sensing and transistor technologies. Specialised research groups, such as the Advanced Computing and Simulation Laboratory (AXL), Quantum Information Science Group (MonQIS), Monash Centre for Atomically Thin Materials (MCATM), Quantum Devices Research (QDR) Consortium, and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Future Low-Energy Electronics Technologies (FLEET), are driving transformative innovations, including nanoscale lasers, quantum thermal transistors, atomically thin plasmonic materials (plasmene sheets), quantum communications, and cutting-edge wearable quantum sensors.
This quantum device research capability, combined with world-leading materials engineering expertise, positions Monash University to significantly elevate Australia's global standing in materials science and quantum technologies.
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