Universal Quantum launches iQPU trapped-ion chip with 400 mm² compute area

Universal Quantum, based in Haywards Heath, UK, and Hamburg, Germany, launched the iQPU on November 3, an integrated quantum processing unit for trapped-ion computers universalquantum.comUniversal Quantum press releaseuniversalquantum.comUniversal Quantum launched the iQPU on November 3; The chip has an active compute area of more than 400 mm²Open source ↗. The chip combines a trapped-ion compute surface with an active area of more than 400 mm², built-in low-noise control electronics and UQConnect interfaces for linking chips together thequantuminsider.comThe Quantum Insiderthequantuminsider.comOpen source ↗.

iQPU design: QCCD architecture on a 200 mm line

The iQPU uses a Quantum Charge-Coupled Device (QCCD) architecture, which moves ions across the chip to create flexible, long-range connections between qubits universalquantum.comUniversal Quantum press releaseuniversalquantum.comUniversal Quantum launched the iQPU on November 3; The chip has an active compute area of more than 400 mm²Open source ↗. Universal Quantum describes the compute surface as the largest trapped-ion surface in the world; that is the company's own claim. The chip is fabricated on a commercial 200 mm semiconductor foundry line with industry-standard tools, which the company sees as the route to volume manufacturing quantumcomputingreport.comQuantum Computing Reportquantumcomputingreport.comOpen source ↗.

Putting control electronics on the chip addresses a known bottleneck: large trapped-ion systems need many control lines, and wiring them from outside grows hard as qubit counts rise thequantuminsider.comThe Quantum Insiderthequantuminsider.comOpen source ↗. The UQConnect interconnect is meant to let separate processors exchange quantum information and work as one larger machine universalquantum.comUniversal Quantum press releaseuniversalquantum.comUniversal Quantum launched the iQPU on November 3; The chip has an active compute area of more than 400 mm²Open source ↗.

"A scalable quantum computer cannot be assembled by adding complexity one qubit at a time," said Mike Newman, VP of Engineering.

Where the chip goes first

The iQPU will be integrated into two scalable quantum computers that Universal Quantum is building for the German Aerospace Center (DLR) under contracts worth €67 million; DLR plans to use them to explore space mission planning, climate modelling and materials design. The company spun out of the University of Sussex in 2018 and raised a Series A round in October that it puts at more than $100 million thequantuminsider.comThe Quantum Insiderthequantuminsider.comOpen source ↗. The release does not give qubit counts or gate fidelities for the new chip.