Archer Materials Limited (ASX: AXE) has agreed to work with world-leading semiconductor foundry, GlobalFoundries (GF) to advance the development of its 12CQ quantum chip technology.
Archer’s innovation aims to integrate its unique qubit material with mobile-compatible devices that are in a form suitable for industrial-scale semiconductor nanofabrication. To scale the fabrication of Archer’s 12CQ chip devices and components, the company will need to work with industrial-scale manufacturers in the global semiconductor supply chain.
Archer will access the technology facilities and manufacturing processes of GlobalFoundries to explore pathways for potential high-volume manufacturing of 12CQ chip devices and components. Archer will work closely with GlobalFoundries on device and circuit design, technology development, and high-volume chip fabrication.
Current quantum computing qubit architectures rely on custom made fabrication‡, unlike modern classical computing circuits that are manufactured in, and using, well-established industrial semiconductor facilities.
Integrating qubit materials with existing industrial-scale foundries is a significant challenge in developing quantum processors. Commenting on the semiconductor supply-chain link with GlobalFoundries.
Archer is now positioned to leverage the expertise and capabilities of a tier-one semiconductor manufacturer to accelerate the development of the 12CQ quantum computing chip technology,” Archer CEO Dr Mohammad Choucair said.
Archer’s global competitive advantage and tech differentiation
The scientific breakthrough made in 2016 to realise Archer’s 12CQ qubit material is available online in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Nature Communications, which reports the advantages, technological trade-offs, and the technological barriers that have been overcome towards realising practical quantum computing, over several other qubit proposals.