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QubitWire

2026 SELECTION

QubitWire 100

100 people recognized for contributions to quantum computing. Unranked and alphabetical by surname.

About the selection

An unranked collection. Browse by surname or start with an idea.

Browse by topic
Filter this list by topicError correctionNeutral atomsQuantum networksAlgorithmsFoundations
Explain these topics
Error correction
Methods that protect encoded quantum information by detecting and correcting certain errors.
Neutral atoms
A hardware approach that stores quantum information in electrically neutral atoms.
Quantum networks
Links that distribute quantum information or entanglement between locations.
Algorithms & complexity
How quantum calculations work and what resources they require.
Foundations
The concepts and physical principles that quantum information builds on.

The 2026 selection2 of 100 people

About foundations
Foundations
The concepts and physical principles that quantum information builds on.

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D

1 person

David P. DiVincenzo

Set out practical criteria for quantum computing and co-proposed electron-spin qubits in quantum dots, connecting abstract computation to the requirements of physical devices.

Forschungszentrum Jülich (former institute director)

Quantum information theorist; former director of PGI-2

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Why included? 3 sources

DiVincenzo connects two questions that every hardware program must answer: what must a quantum computer be able to do, and which physical system can do it? His implementation criteria provide a vocabulary for assessing qubit preparation, control, coherence and measurement. With Daniel Loss he proposed a concrete semiconductor-spin architecture. Together, these contributions link general requirements to an enduring experimental direction. The profile credits the shared proposal jointly and separates that scientific legacy from institutional responsibilities that have since changed.

FoundationsQuantum hardware
3 linked sources · 2 research sources
Identification checked Explore the contributions and sources

L

1 person

Daniel Loss

Co-proposed quantum computing with electron spins in quantum dots and helped develop the theoretical and institutional foundations of semiconductor-spin quantum information processing.

University of Basel

Professor of Theoretical Physics

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Why included? 3 sources

Loss helped turn the spin of a confined electron into a detailed proposal for a quantum-computing building block. The shared Loss–DiVincenzo architecture specifies how spins could store information and interact to perform gates, while later work examines the obstacles between that proposal and an operating machine. His Basel research and participation in NCCR SPIN connect the theoretical program to a broader semiconductor-qubit effort. Inclusion recognizes an architectural contribution and sustained research activity, without assigning him every subsequent experimental result in the field.

Quantum hardwareFoundations
3 linked sources · 2 research sources

Documented work base: Switzerland

Identification checked Explore the contributions and sources
About these checks

Linked sources support selected statements in each profile. Research sources include papers and preprints. A source count is not a ranking or a quality score.

The identification check date relates to the recorded professional description. Individual sources have their own check dates. The fixed 2026 selection stays separate from later profile corrections.

THE EDITORIAL VIEW

Why these people.
Why this field.

Quantum computing is shaped by more than headline breakthroughs. Progress also depends on the people who establish its limits, make its systems more reliable and turn difficult ideas into tools others can use.

The QubitWire 100 recognizes contributions across that work. Each profile explains what is being recognized and connects the account to its supporting evidence.

View the permanent 2026 record