Pasqal leads the €50m Q-PLANET project to make chip parts for neutral atom quantum tech

[Thomas]

Pasqal is coordinating Q-PLANET, a three year, 50 million euro pilot line for industrial grade chip components used in neutral atom quantum technology, The Quantum Insider reports. Funding comes from the EU Chips Joint Undertaking along with national and regional authorities. The consortium has 28 partners in 11 European countries. It is another sign of Europe trying to build its own quantum supply chain

The project will develop lasers at four specific wavelengths, 461, 698, 795 and 1013 nanometres, along with atom chips for sensing and computing and microfabricated vapour cells for atomic clocks and field sensors. Pasqal leads the work on 1013 nm chip based lasers. It is also an end user of the vapour cells and lasers, setting top level specifications and helping with testing

Q-PLANET will produce standard Process Design Kits and Assembly Design Kits, which are toolkits that let other companies design products using the same manufacturing process. That could make it much easier for startups to build neutral atom devices without developing every component from scratch. The project will also assess energy efficiency across the production cycle

Chief technology officer Loïc Henriet said: "Three months after our kick-off in Brussels, Q-PLANET has moved from ambition to execution." Pasqal presents the project as aligned with the upcoming EU Quantum Act and as a flagship of the European Quantum Strategy. Combined with Germany's 640 million euro competition and planqc's growth, European neutral atom technology is getting serious backing

Can Europe build a quantum supply chain that does not depend on the US or Asia? And are shared design kits the key to growing a quantum industry?

Pasqal Leads €50 Million Q-PLANET Project for Neutral-Atom Quantum Technologythequantuminsider.com