that of quantum chips
Manufacture a qubit, the physical device that implements the minimum unit of information in the quantum computersit is not at all a piece of cake. There are several types: superconductors, ion traps, neutral atoms or ions implanted in macromolecules, among other variants. Not all of them are equally complex, but until just two years ago it was not possible to manufacture any of these qubits in an industrialized way that opened the door to large-scale production. This scenario changed in March 2024. Intel and QuTech, the research institute specialized in quantum computing that belongs to the Technical University of Delft, in the Netherlands, they managed to manufacture for the first time a qubit in an industrial way, and, what is even more important, using the same processes and the same technology that is currently used to manufacture semiconductors. It was a very important milestone for a crucial reason: this innovation opened the door to the massive scaling of qubits that can be integrated into a quantum computer. Now GlobalFoundries has decided to follow in Intel’s footsteps. Semiconductors open the door to universal quantum computers The qubit that Intel and QuTech researchers managed to manufacture using industrial procedures is, as we can guess, a semiconductor qubit. The most obvious advantage of this type of qubit is that it benefits from the development that integrated circuit production technology has undergone for decades, so it is presumably easier to produce a semiconductor qubit than one that uses an ion trap or a neutral atom. Furthermore, it is evident that Intel is well versed in the processes involved in chip manufacturing. Quantum Motion has recently opened an office in San Sebastián “It’s kind of like we started writing with calligraphy and suddenly switched to using a printer.” This statement belongs to Anne-Marije Zwerver, the QuTech researcher who led this project, and emphasizes the possibility of using this technology to manufacture semiconductor qubits on a large scale. Furthermore, according to Intel, the performance they have achieved using this manufacturing process is 98%. This simply means that 98 out of every 100 semiconductor qubits produced with this technology work correctly. GlobalFoundries has embarked in a project very similar to that of Intel, although it has not done it alone; It has done so with Quantum Motion, an emerging company specialized in the development of semiconductor quantum bits. An interesting note: this last company has recently opened an office in San Sebastián (Spain). Their plan is to demonstrate that it is possible to manufacture qubits using CMOS technology, which is commonly used in the integrated circuit industry. However, GlobalFoundries’ strategy goes further: it wants to adapt its 12 and 22 nm nodes to the manufacturing of quantum chips without having to reorganize its plants from scratch. An interesting note: the materials used by Intel to manufacture its semiconductor qubits are similar to those currently used to produce transistors, such as silicon oxide. However, everything is not done yet. Intel and QuTech have demonstrated that it is possible to manufacture semiconductor qubits using industrial processes, but now need to refine and improve the quality of its multi-qubit spin control system. Whatever they have achieved, it is very important and invites us to look once again towards the future of quantum computers with optimism. Image | Intel More information | GlobalFoundries In Xataka | They are called giant super atoms and they are going to be crucial for something: the future of universal quantum computers