Imec will lead ARCTIC (Advanced Research on Cryogenic Technologies for Innovative Computing), the first project resulting from the European Union’s (EU) Chips Joint Undertaking (CJU) scheme.
The project will be a collaboration between 36 partners from 11 countries, across both industry and academia, with participants working together to establish a European supply chain for cryogenic quantum technologies, including cryogenic photonics, microelectronics, and cryo-microsystems.
Unlike classical computers which can be operated at room temperature, most quantum processors need to be cryogenically cooled inside a cryostat to absolute zero Kelvin temperatures.
However, as the number of qubits increases, the number of signal lines that can be fed into a cryostat diminishes due to issues related to space, heat, and signal integrity.
In an attempt to overcome these challenges, the project will oversee the development of new materials and fabrication processes, in addition to novel simulation approaches and the optimization of devices and circuits specifically designed for cryogenic cooling. Under ARCTIC, participants will also test new designs of the traveling-wave parametric amplifiers (TWPA) to improve quantum computer efficiency.
Alongside the Belgian R&D company Imec, other participants of the program include French quantum startup Alice & Bob, German chipmaker Infineon, STMicroelectronics, Intel’s Ireland-based R&D division, and Finnish quantum startup IQM.
“The new quantum-specific designs will reduce internal losses in the TWPA to improve measurement efficiency,” said Dr. Jean-Loup Ville, senior quantum physicist at Alice & Bob. “This can significantly reduce hardware overhead to make compact, economical devices and accelerate the development of a full-scale quantum computer by several years.”
The Chips Joint Undertaking is an EU public-private partnership, partly funded by the EU’s R&D program Horizon Europe. Officially inaugurated in November 2023, the CJU aims to address semiconductor shortages and strengthen Europe's digital autonomy. It has a budget of €11 billion ($12bn) to be spent by 2030.
Other projects the program is currently looking to fund include advanced quantum chips technology; developing technology for 2nm chips; establishing a chip manufacturing talent pipeline; and developing chips that use material other than silicon.
