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Next step in high-performance computing

The digital world is growing, requiring more and better chips. Quantum computing is being explored as a way to model challenging problems that can’t be solved by (‘classical’) transistor-based high-performance computers. This new kind of computing could enable a quantum leap forward in industry segments like sustainable energy, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and financial services.

Superposition, entanglement & interference

Where classical computing uses transistor-based bits, quantum computing uses quantum-based bits, or qubits. Qubits use the well-known, but still weird behaviors of small, well-isolated systems.

• Superposition allows for the qubit to be in several ‘states’ (energy levels) at the same time.
• Entanglement allows for multiple qubits to be coupled and behave as one system.
• Interference allows different states to interact and strengthen or weaken each other.

There are currently many different implementations of a qubit being developed. Especially solid-state qubits are considered easier to implement, since they produced as ‘quantum chips’, making use of processes and equipment developed for the semiconductor industry. The superconducting qubit is the most popular type of qubit since it has proven itself as a successful (qubit technology) platform for learning and scaling.

Development happens in cycles of design, fabrication and testing. Many test cycles are needed to optimize for functionality, yield, output and cost

Testing is important. To produce a chip, a process of recording is developed (including the materials, equipment and recipes that result in a chip with reliable quality). To develop this process of recording, many (development) cycles are used to optimize functionality, yield, throughput, and cost. Each cycle needs a design, fabrication, and testing step. Without testing, there is no development cycle and without the development cycle, we will never have quantum chips with enough high-quality qubits to provide quantum advantage.

Testing is complex and has specific environmental requirements

Testing a quantum chip is harder than testing a classical chip. To judge the performance of a quantum chip, a long series of complex physics experiments needs to be executed. These experiments require that the chip is cooled to milli-Kelvin temperatures, in a vacuum and completely isolated from light or vibrations. Therefore, quantum chip testing requires expensive equipment and manual work by PhD-level operators. Orange QS delivers software libraries and equipment that make quantum chip testing cheaper, faster, and easier.