Imec achieves world first in quantum chip production
Research centre imec has become the first company in the world to manufacture a qubit, or quantum bit, using High NA EUV lithography, the most advanced technique for chip production. The breakthrough is set to pave the way for the industrial scaling up of quantum computers, the Leuven-based centre announced on Tuesday.
Qubits are the basic computational units of quantum computers. They can, in theory, be far more powerful than traditional computers for applications such as drug development or the simulation of complex physical processes. However, to make such systems usable, millions of stable and precisely controllable qubits are required.
Imec is working on silicon quantum dot spin qubits, a technology compatible with existing chip manufacturing processes. This allows the organisation to build on decades of knowledge and infrastructure from the semiconductor industry.
"With our results, we demonstrate that High NA EUV can be used to make these qubits more precise, which is fundamental to their reliability"
Using High NA EUV technology, imec has fabricated a functioning network of qubits with apertures of 6 nanometres. The technique produces exceptionally precise and uniform patterns, which is essential for limiting interference from environmental noise, the company says.
“With our results, we demonstrate that High NA EUV can be used to make these qubits more precise, which is fundamental to their reliability,” says Quantum Computing programme director Kristiaan De Greve.
Research was carried out in the joint High NA lab of imec and ASML in Veldhoven, the Netherlands. With a High NA machine being installed in Leuven, imec’s researchers are preparing the next steps towards industrial upscaling.
This advanced lithography technique is also important for future generations of memory and computing chips in the AI era. At the same time, High NA EUV could play a key role in the development of hardware for quantum computers.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO SARAH VAN HECKE
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