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China reaches mass production of key isotope in quantum computing, Beijing says
The country is pushing for self-reliance in important industries amid competition with the US over advanced technology fabrication
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Wency Chenin ShanghaiPublished: 8:00pm, 15 Jun 2026China has achieved a breakthrough in production of an ultra-pure form of silicon, a critical material needed to build silicon-based quantum computers, as Beijing accelerates its drive to cut reliance on foreign technology in strategic areas.
State-owned nuclear giant China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) said on Monday that one of its research institutes had successfully mass-produced a high-purity silicon-28 isotope with an isotopic abundance above 99.99 per cent. The achievement marked China’s first independent, large-scale production of the material, it said.
The breakthrough helps plug a long-standing gap in China’s quantum technology supply chain. Previously, production capabilities for the silicon-28 isotope were concentrated among a small group of overseas players in Russia, Europe and US-linked supply chains.
AdvertisementWhile standard silicon is the bedrock of smartphones and computer chips, quantum computers require an exceptionally pure variant.Traditional computers process information using standard bits – represented as either a zero or one. Quantum computers, however, use qubits, which can exist as both a zero and a one simultaneously, allowing them to perform complex calculations at speeds exceeding supercomputers.Advertisement
However, qubits are notoriously fragile. In natural silicon, magnetic interference – or “noise” – distorts the qubits, causing them to lose their quantum state and drop data.
In contrast, silicon-28 is a stable isotope. By purifying this variant, scientists can create an “ultra-quiet” environment, allowing qubits to remain stable for longer periods, which is vital for building functioning quantum computers.
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