The International Superconductive Electronics Conference (ISEC), the biennial scientific conference that brings together global experts in the field of superconductive electronics in a forum, kicked off in Erfurt on Monday. The international series of events is being held at the Radisson Blu Hotel Erfurt until Thursday and covers key topics of the future, such as quantum computers and energy-efficient electronics, and provides a forum for innovations in science and industry.
At the opening event, Prof. Thomas Ortlepp, Managing Director of the CiS Research Institute for Microsensor Technology in Erfurt and Distinguished Professor at Yokohama University in Japan, and Prof. Ronny Stolz, Honorary Professor of Quantum Engineering at Ilmenau University of Technology and Head of the Quantum Systems Research Department at the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz IPHT) in Jena, welcomed around one hundred guests from more than twenty countries including the USA, China, Japan and Europe. The ISEC is held every two years in Europe, America and Asia. Germany last hosted the conference in 1997 in Berlin. Both initiators of the 19th edition of the ISEC emphasized all the more the special opportunity that lies in the host role of this conference – to present Thuringia and Erfurt as a location for innovation and future-oriented technologies. Quantum technologies have future applications in various fields, for example in concepts for secure communication, new methods for information processing, high-resolution methods in environmental sciences and space travel, personalized syntheses of new medication, or energy-efficient solutions for green electronics, from quantum computers to computing based on the model of the human brain.
Thuringia’s Minister President Mario Voigt welcomed the scientific audience on Monday morning and emphasized: “In Thuringia, we are convinced that the best solutions are created where research and practice go hand in hand. As a technology-driven region with a long industrial tradition, we have successfully shaped the transformation into a region of the future – powerful, innovative and internationally networked. The technological heart of Europe beats in the green heart of Germany: microelectronics is the heartbeat of modern technology – and Thuringia beats strongly with it. Our universities and research institutions work closely with industry and together create the conditions to meet the great challenges of our time. The International Superconductive Electronics Conference in Erfurt is an expression of the high international esteem in which this location is held. It shows: The Green Heart of Germany is home to technological excellence – and the future comes from Thuringia.”
In his welcome address, Kai-Uwe Sattler, President of Ilmenau University of Technology, then emphasized the importance of the conference topics, among other things, for mastering the ever-increasing global energy requirements in AI data centers. He also pointed out the thematic links to current work in the field of superconductivity and neuromorphic computing at TU Ilmenau as well as the connection to the CiS Research Institute as a supporter of the conference.
In the first keynote speech of the conference, Frank Wilhelm-Mauch from Research Center Jülich presented the joint project “QSolid – Quantum Computers in Solid State” and, in addition to current results, also referred to the future roadmap and direction of the research project, which started at the beginning of 2022.
Over the five-year project period, more than twenty alliance partners are pursuing the aim of developing easily scalable technologies for a quantum computer. In addition to the development of the actual qubits and their integration, new types of electronic circuits are being developed to control the internal processes in the quantum processor and to exchange information with conventional computers.
Until Thursday, June 19, 2025, the participating experts will present and discuss the latest research results, development trends and new ideas in the field of superconducting electronics, single photon detection, quantum computers, SQUIDs, superconducting digital circuits and other research results related to superconducting electronics.
When and where the next edition of ISEC will take place will be announced at the end of the conference.
