Quantinuum, a leading quantum computing company, has announced a major funding agreement with the US Department of Commerce. The $100 million award, issued through the CHIPS Research and Development Office, will support the advancement of trapped-ion quantum computing research and manufacturing in the United States.
The CHIPS funding, made possible by the CHIPS and Science Act, follows a letter of intent announced in May. This funding will specifically support the development of semiconductor, laser, and optical technologies needed for large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers.
According to Quantinuum, they are the only recipient of CHIPS research funding that utilizes a trapped-ion architecture for their quantum computers. The company specializes in commercial quantum systems using a quantum charge-coupled device architecture. Their machines utilize trapped ions as quantum bits, with the use of semiconductor production methods to improve consistency and support manufacturing at greater volumes.
Dr Rajeeb Hazra, President and CEO of Quantinuum, expressed his excitement about the funding, calling it a “validation” of the company’s leadership in trapped-ion quantum computing. He also highlighted the partnerships that will be supported by the funding, specifically with semiconductor manufacturer GlobalFoundries and photonics company Monarch Quantum.
GlobalFoundries, a member of Quantinuum’s group of foundry partners, will be responsible for manufacturing next-generation ion traps and control electronics using 300mm wafer technology. Tim Breen, CEO of GlobalFoundries, emphasized the importance of manufacturing in the advancement of quantum computing and expressed pride in their partnership with Quantinuum.
Monarch Quantum, on the other hand, will focus on developing and manufacturing lasers and optical components for Quantinuum’s trapped-ion systems. Their goal is to replace large, complex optical setups with smaller and more scalable photonics engines, which will improve production consistency and reliability. Dr Timothy Day, CEO of Monarch Quantum, expressed their honor in continuing their partnership with Quantinuum and helping strengthen US leadership in quantum computing manufacturing and supply-chain security.
The funding is expected to reduce system complexity and improve the reliability, repeatability, and production consistency of components used in Quantinuum’s quantum computers. The company, which has over 800 employees, has already deployed several generations of trapped-ion systems and works with various organizations in industries such as pharmaceuticals, materials science, financial services, government, industry, and academic research.
Quantinuum is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, with facilities in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Qatar, and Singapore. The company’s statement on expected technical progress, manufacturing capacity, and future system development is forward-looking and subject to economic, technological, governmental, and market risks.
