SYDNEY, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Scientists at Australia's University of New South Wales have made a major breakthrough in the development of quantum computers, showing for the first time that they can build atomic precision qubits in a 3D device, a research revealed on Tuesday.

A team from the Center of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology (CQC2T), has demonstrated the feasibility of an idea which they first proffered back in 2015, and which many considered impossible.

"In 2015 we developed and patented a vertical crisscross architecture," lead author and CQC2T director Michelle Simmons said.

"With this result we have now shown that engineering our approach in 3D is possible in the way we envisioned it a few years ago."

Australia's first quantum computing company, Silicon Quantum Computing which is founded and directed by Simmons, has the aim of eventually developing and producing quantum computers for the commercial market.

"We are working systematically towards a large-scale architecture that will lead us to the eventual commercialisation of the technology," Simmons said.

"While we are still at least a decade away from a large-scale quantum computer, the work of CQC2T remains at the forefront of innovation in this space."