Quantum computers promise transformative computing power, but nearly all current architectures need to be cooled to extremely low temperatures — a few hundredths of a degree above absolute zero — to operate reliably. Connecting these ultra-cold quantum chips to the room-temperature electronics that control them requires many electrical connections that must reach from room temperature down to the coldest point of the system without introducing heat, electrical crosstalk, or signal loss. As quantum computers scale from tens to potentially tens of thousands of qubits, this input/output (I/O) wiring has become one of the key bottlenecks limiting further progress, a challenge increasingly recognised across the quantum technology industry.
The TUXEDO project addresses this by developing a superconducting, high-density connector interface that links the ultra-thin superconducting cables used inside a quantum computer's refrigerator to the circuit boards carrying signals further into the system. By making this connection smaller, more reliable and easier to manufacture at scale, TUXEDO aims to enable the ten-fold increase in usable channels needed to move from today's small-scale quantum processors toward systems with thousands of qubits.
Delft Circuits, the project coordinator, is a European deep-tech company specialised in cryogenic I/O solutions for quantum computing. Solving this bottleneck is not only a technical challenge but a strategic one for Europe: reliable cryogenic components are a critical link in the global quantum supply chain, and strengthening European capability here supports the continent's ambitions for technological sovereignty in quantum technologies. If successful, TUXEDO's results are expected to benefit quantum computing developers, cryostat manufacturers and research institutes worldwide.
