Pioneering on the edge of physics: quantum chips tested faster and faster

The chip industry currently runs on typical semiconductors. But quantum chips, with their superior computing power, will play an increasingly large role in the future. TNO is spearheading this development not only through R&D, but also by bringing the technology to market through spin-offs like Orange Quantum Systems. The end goal is to make quantum-chip testing reliable and scalable.

From frustration to innovation

In 2017, Alberts was working as a programme manager at QuTech, a collaboration between Delft University of Technology and TNO. ‘While building demonstrators for quantum communications and computing, we constantly had chips coming in that did not work. That was really frustrating,’ he says. ‘So, we asked ourselves: why do these chips keep failing? Should they not be tested? That proved to be a major bottleneck in this new industry.’ Thus, the idea for the company was born. ‘Making qubits is not that difficult. But you want to know whether they will actually work. One faulty qubit can render the entire processor unusable due to disrupted entanglement.’

Testing at the cutting edge

Testing qubits is quite complex. They need to operate in a quantum processor, at milli-Kelvin temperatures that are colder than in space. ‘We have to keep all external influences locked out, from radio waves to sound,’ Alberts explains. ‘An ordinary chip can be tested with a current. With qubits, this is much more complicated.’ Only 5 years ago, it took 6 months to test 3 qubits, but Orange Quantum Systems has since automated that process. ‘We can now test a few qubits per hour. The goal is to reduce that down to seconds.’

Chiplets as accelerators

The next step is chiplet testing: testing smaller building blocks before they are assembled into a large chip. ‘That would speed things up even more, but we need to be sure that the test results are representative of how they behave in an integrated chip.’

Working on the next generation together

The first product – the OrangeQS MAX – has already been delivered to a customer: IQM Quantum Computers. ‘That means we’re now working on the next generation,’ says Alberts. ‘We are once again looking to work closely together with universities and institutes such as imec and TNO.’ Alberts expects the computing power of quantum chips will double every 2 years, according to a quantum version of Moore's Law. ‘We have to keep innovating, and that calls for teamwork. There are 30 of us putting our heart and soul into what we do.’

Technology with societal value

For Alberts, the significance of quantum technology to society is a major personal motivator. ‘That enormous computing power could be harnessed to produce better medicine, energy solutions, and AI. The fact that we can play a part in that through the next generation of chips is a powerful incentive.’

The Netherlands as a quantum hub

Orange Quantum Systems feels lucky to benefit from the quantum ecosystem in Delft. ‘We are system builders and use components from the local value chain. Delft is the quantum heart of the Netherlands. And we have access to a strong network of suppliers in the chip industry.’