Periodic Reporting for period 2 - DEMOQC (Democratizing quantum computing with 3D scalable and customizable quantum processors:)
Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-04-30
Quantum computers have an enormous potential to transform industries ranging from chemistry to finance. The quantum industry keeps reaching new milestones, and end-user interest is surging. To truly unlock the power of quantum computing, we need to 1) increase the quality and quantity of qubits in a single processor, and 2) make these QPUs widely available.
1./ Increase the quantity and quality of qubits
Current state of the art processors often rely on planar or 2.5D structures for control and readout. Nevertheless, this configuration is approaching scalability bottlenecks, given that the required number of lines increases quadratically, whereas the planar structure scales only linearly with the increasing qubit counts. Moreover, when increasing the number of qubits in a single processor, one will soon run into issues with yield. The yield of a qubit plane is dependent on the probability that all individual qubits on the plane function. The yield of the entire qubit plane thus decreases exponentially with the number of qubits on the plane.
2./ Make QPUs widely available
To make useful progress, the field needs to find creative new approaches. This can only happen if as many parties as possible are working on this. However, progress is hindered by the fact that the production of quantum processing units (QPUs) is capital-intensive, and up until recently, only major players with significant resources are involved in manufacturing these processors, often keeping their developments proprietary. Additionally, their lack of economies of scale contributes to the high cost of QPUs. This situation impedes the overall progress toward the realization of quantum computers.
During the project we worked on solutions of both bottlenecks by the development of a scalable architecture for QPUs and improvement of qubit yield. By focusing only on QPUs, we can make them commercially available at competitive pricing, work with partners to see what is needed to make quantum computing succeed and customize our QPUs accordingly. This push for democratization will make quantum start-ups more competitive and lower the entry barriers for new players.
1./ Increase the quantity and quality of qubits
Current state of the art processors often rely on planar or 2.5D structures for control and readout. Nevertheless, this configuration is approaching scalability bottlenecks, given that the required number of lines increases quadratically, whereas the planar structure scales only linearly with the increasing qubit counts. Moreover, when increasing the number of qubits in a single processor, one will soon run into issues with yield. The yield of a qubit plane is dependent on the probability that all individual qubits on the plane function. The yield of the entire qubit plane thus decreases exponentially with the number of qubits on the plane.
2./ Make QPUs widely available
To make useful progress, the field needs to find creative new approaches. This can only happen if as many parties as possible are working on this. However, progress is hindered by the fact that the production of quantum processing units (QPUs) is capital-intensive, and up until recently, only major players with significant resources are involved in manufacturing these processors, often keeping their developments proprietary. Additionally, their lack of economies of scale contributes to the high cost of QPUs. This situation impedes the overall progress toward the realization of quantum computers.
During the project we worked on solutions of both bottlenecks by the development of a scalable architecture for QPUs and improvement of qubit yield. By focusing only on QPUs, we can make them commercially available at competitive pricing, work with partners to see what is needed to make quantum computing succeed and customize our QPUs accordingly. This push for democratization will make quantum start-ups more competitive and lower the entry barriers for new players.
Throughout the project, we achieved substantial advancements in QPU design, focusing on both automation of design workflows and the development of components critical for maintaining high fidelities in large-scale devices—where loss channels are expected to play a more significant role. These improvements directly support the scalability of qubit chip design.
To support the move toward customizable processors, we launched a platform aimed at identifying and engaging potential partners for application-specific, co-designed QPUs. This initiative has successfully led to strategic partnerships, enabling us to tailor our processor designs to better meet the specific needs of various fields.
A major milestone was the successful realization of a prototype based on our proprietary 3D architecture scaling technology. This prototype validates the core concept and demonstrates the feasibility of our approach.
In addition, we implemented new processes to significantly enhance manufacturing yield. We also developed modular QPU components, further mitigating yield-related risks and supporting future scalability.
To support the move toward customizable processors, we launched a platform aimed at identifying and engaging potential partners for application-specific, co-designed QPUs. This initiative has successfully led to strategic partnerships, enabling us to tailor our processor designs to better meet the specific needs of various fields.
A major milestone was the successful realization of a prototype based on our proprietary 3D architecture scaling technology. This prototype validates the core concept and demonstrates the feasibility of our approach.
In addition, we implemented new processes to significantly enhance manufacturing yield. We also developed modular QPU components, further mitigating yield-related risks and supporting future scalability.
Building on the developments from this project, we will make our scalable QPUs commercially available. This advancement has the potential to be transformative for the quantum computing market. By addressing one of the industry's primary bottlenecks—the scarcity of scalable QPUs—our innovation can unlock broader access to quantum hardware.
The availability of these QPUs is expected to stimulate competition and empower startups to close the gap with established players by enabling them to focus on developing complementary down-stack or up-stack technologies. Ultimately, this will accelerate overall industry progress, drive down costs, and deliver greater benefits to end users.
The availability of these QPUs is expected to stimulate competition and empower startups to close the gap with established players by enabling them to focus on developing complementary down-stack or up-stack technologies. Ultimately, this will accelerate overall industry progress, drive down costs, and deliver greater benefits to end users.