Technological and Scientific Trajectories of the Emerging General-Purpose Technology of Quantum Computing

The goal of this study is to analyze the technological and scientific trajectories of quantum computer and computing that can support a main technological and economic change. Quantum technology has many characteristics of general-purpose technologies (GPTs) because it has the potential to make prior technical knowledge obsolete and sustain a drastic industrial and social change. Quantum technologies as GPTs can generate clusters of innovations in several industries because they support basic processes/components/technical systems for the architecture of various families of products/processes that are made quite differently. In this context, the study here analyzes publications and patents that are a main unit of scientific and technology analysis to show how scientific fields and technological trajectories in quantum computing evolve over time. Technology analysis, based on models of evolutionary growth, reveals the emergence of this GPT is driven by scientific and technological trajectories of Quantum optics, Quantum information, Quantum algorithms, Quantum entanglement, Quantum communication and Quantum cryptography. The explanation of the evolution of quantum technologies can provide main information having numerous implications for decision making of policymakers and funding agencies regarding sponsoring specific research fields and technological trajectories in quantum science that can accelerate the development of science and technology in society