Archer Materials Limited Reports Progress for the 12CQ Quantum Computing Chip Project
Archer is one to watch. This section from their quarterly report is reprinted with permission. Because Quantum is Coming. Qubit.
Second Quarter Activities Report
Quantum Technology
The 12CQ Project commenced in April 2019 (ASX Announcement 3 Apr 2019). The Archer team is now building 12CQ room-temperature qubit processor (“chip”)prototypes (ASX Announcement 26 Jun 2019). Archer has assembled the first qubit material component (“qubit”) of the12CQ chip with nanometre precision (ASX Announcement 26 Aug 2019).In the Quarter, Archer commercially advanced the 12CQ Project by assembling and patterning a nanometre-size array (“few-qubit array”) of several individual qubits (Fig. 1). Successful development of Archer’s 12CQchip could potentially enable widespread ownership of quantum computing powered technology and catalyse a global multibillion-dollar industry.
Fig. 1. Electron microscopy image of three isolated qubits (spherical shapes false-coloured in red-orange), positioned into an array on a silicon wafer surface, with each approximately 50 nanometres in size. Metallic control electrodes (false-coloured in grey-blue) aligned with nanoscale precision to the qubits. The width and height of the electrodes are comparable to the dimensions of the qubits, and compatible with modern electronic device features.
The ability to build qubit arrays is a key requirement for developing a scalable and useful chip.To achieve this, Archer uses a unique carbon-based qubit that has the potential to enable chip operation at room-temperature and integrate on board modern devices. The qubit is the fundamental component of Archer’s 12CQ prototype chip, as without the qubit, quantum computing cannot be performed.
o assemble the few-qubit array of Archer’s chip, three individual qubits were isolated on a silicon wafer with metallic control electrode components (“electrodes”) aligned and deposited around the qubit array with nanoscale precision (“Process”) as shown in Fig. 1. The electrodes will allow for the next stage of 12CQ chip development involving the measurement of quantum information stored on the individual qubits.
The achievement is definitive proof for addressing a global quantum computing industry key success driver for early-stage quantum computing technology development related to scalability, practicality and use as today’s quantum computers have at best a few dozen qubits†.A useful chip will need to have a number of qubits arranged in various patterns in order to run a number of algorithms, for example to perform transactions, secure communication, or in error-correcting quantum information processing.
Following the Company’s significant commercial progress achieved in the development of the 12CQchip, and as part of the Company’s strategy to advance its quantum technology vertical, the Company accepted an opportunity to Chair an entire session on the topic of Quantum Computing at the Quantum.Tech Conference in London, UK, from Apr 20 –22, 2020(ASX Announcement 28 Nov 2019). The Conference is a high-level international event with a strong focus on the commercial applications of quantum technology.
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