Archer staff operating the specialised conduction atomic force microscopy instrumentation required to perform the measurements.<\/p>\n
Archer Materials has announced a milestone in its race to build a room-temperature quantum computing quantum bit (qubit) processor, revealing it has successfully performed its first measurement on a single qubit component.<\/p>\n
\"We have successfully performed our first measurement on a single qubit component, which is the most important component, marking a significant period moving forward in the development of Archer's 12CQ quantum computing chip technology,\" CEO Dr Mohammad Choucair said.<\/p>\n
\"Building and operating the 12CQ chip requires measurements to be successfully performed at the very limits of what can be achieved technologically in the world today.\"<\/p>\n
See also:Australia's ambitious plan to win the quantum race<\/p>\n
Choucair said directly proving room-temperature conductivity of the 12CQ chip qubit component advances Archer's development towards a working chip prototype.<\/p>\n
Archer said conductivity measurements on single qubit components were carried out using conductive atomic force microscopy that was configured using \"state-of-the-art instrumentation systems\", housed in a semiconductor prototype foundry cleanroom.<\/p>\n
\"The measurements directly and unambiguously proved, with nanometre-scale precision, the conductivity of single qubits at room-temperature in ambient environmental conditions (e.g. in the presence of air, moisture, and at normal atmospheric pressures,\" Archer said in a statement. <\/p>\n
It said the measurements progress its technological development towards controlling quantum information that reside on individual qubits, which is a key componentry requirement for a working quantum computing qubit processor.<\/p>\n
Another key component is readout. <\/p>\n
\"Control must be performed prior to readout, as these subsequent steps represent a logical series in the 12CQ quantum computing chip function,\" Archer wrote.<\/p>\n
See also: What is quantum computing? Understanding the how, why and when of quantum computers<\/p>\n
In announcing last week it was progressing work on its graphene-based biosensor technology, Archer said it was focusing on establishing commercial partnerships to bring its work out of the lab and convert it into viable products.<\/p>\n
Archer on Monday said it intends to develop the 12CQ chip to be sold directlyand have the intellectual property rights to the chip technology licensed. <\/p>\n
\"The technological significance of the work is inherently tied to the commercial viability of the 12CQ technology. The room-temperature conductivity potentially enables direct access to the quantum information stored in the qubits by means of electrical current signals on-board portable devices, which require conducting materials to operate, for both control and readout,\" Choucair added.<\/p>\n
He said the intrinsic materials feature of conductivity in Archer's qubit material down to the single qubit level represents a \"significant commercial advantage\" over competing qubit proposals that rely on insulating materials, such as diamond-based materials or photonic qubit architectures.<\/p>\n
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