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The tellurium layers act as ‘highways’ in which mobile
electrons move rapidly and naturally forming repeating
wave-like patterns, whereas the cerium layers host
stationary electrons that remain localised and do not
move. The quantum property known as spin results in
these fixed electrons acting like bar magnets in a fixed
position.
The scientists used scanning tunnelling microscopy at

quantum error correction. This validated individual
qubits and two-qubit systems. Now, this has been
extended to include the larger eight-qubit linear array
whilst at the same time maintaining the coherence and
control required for quantum operations.
ADVANCES IN QUANTUM It was also found that expanding the architecture for the
larger array did not require a proportional increase in
TECHNOLOGY sensor numbers, wiring complexity or thermal load.

Kristiaan De Greve comments:
temperatures close to absolute zero to map the surface
“ The future of quantum computing depends not only
of the material at atomic resolution. It was observed
on qubit quality, but also on the ability to manufacture
that the mobile electrons formed clear parallel stripes.
increasingly complex quantum processors with the
A magnetic field was then applied which resulted in
reproducibility, yield and scale of the semiconductor
‘electronic frustration’ in which the electrons exhibited
industry.
low-energy patterns without preferring any single one,
This result demonstrates that industrial 300mm CMOS- and reformed into a chequered pattern.
compatible manufacturing can support quantum
Quantum Dot Qubit fabricated with High NA A companion study used neutron scattering to probe
systems beyond isolated qubit pairs. By combining
EUV Lithography imec’s advanced semiconductor process technology the material’s underlying magnetic core, and this
revealed that the material developed an unexpectedly
with quantum device engineering, we taking important
A first-of-its-kind quantum dot qubit device complex magnetic order that directly supports and
steps toward realising scalable silicon-based quantum
produced using High Numerical Aperture extreme drives these shifting electronic states at near absolute
processors. “
ultraviolet lithography has been revealed by imec, zero.
marking a turning point towards the industrial scale Reference: Tyler, N., ‘Imec and Diraq demonstrate eight-qubit Silicon
manufacture of quantum computing hardware. Quantum Processor using CMOS Manufacturing’, New Electronics, 13th. Yuita Fujisawa, co-first author of the study and assistant
professor at Hiroshima University, says:
July
Silicon quantum dot qubits rely on confining
“ CeTe3 offers a rare opportunity to watch mobile
individual electrons in nanoscale silicon structures
with the electron’s spin state used to represent Japanese Scientists rewrite Rules inside electrons and localised spins work together. We wanted
to directly visualise how this cooperation gives rise to
quantum information. The fabrication process is layered Quantum Material
collective electronic states.
largely compatible with conventional CMOS chip
Researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science
manufacturing, with High NA EUV lithography effectively We were astonished because it is extremely rare for a
and Technology and Hiroshima University have
shifting the focus from experimental demonstrations material to host multiple competing electronic patterns
determined that a small magnetic nudge can be
to reproducible fabrication using standard 300mm true engineering feat, thanks to our integration and that can be switched so dramatically by such a small
semiconductor manufacturing processes. patterning teams and ASML’s outstanding High NA EUV used to transform a whole electronic landscape magnetic field. “
from parallel stripes to a neat chequerboard in a
technology. “
A key challenge is controlling the spacing between layered sample of the quantum material cerium Reference: Dixit, M., ‘Quantum Material’s Electronic States can be
gate structures, as smaller gaps can reduce unwanted Reference: Tyler, N., ‘imec demonstrates Quantum Dot Qubit fabricated tritelluride (CeTe3), potentially illustrating how future flipped with Magnetic Field, Study finds’, Interesting Engineering, 23rd.
interference and improve qubit interactions. In this with High NA EUV Lithography’, New Electronics, 19th. May spintronics and quantum computing architectures July
regard imec reported that it had successfully produced may control information at the atomic scale.
a functioning network of qubits with gaps of around 6
Eight-qubit Silicon Quantum Processor with In materials such as copper, silver and silicon, electrons New Benchmark for Quantum safe
nanometres, making it possible to integrate millions of
CMOS Manufacturing behave in predictable ways. By comparison, in Transatlantic Data Transmission
qubits onto a single chip.
quantum materials complex interactions give rise to
Another innovation from imec, this time with Colt Technology Services and Ciena have completed
Kristiaan De Greve, imec Fellow and Programme collective electronic states. Consequently there is a
partner Diraq, is the first demonstration of coherent one of the fastest quantum safe data transmissions
Director for Quantum Computing, states: goal in quantum materials research to understand how
operation and readout of an eight-qubit MOS spin- ever demonstrated and the fastest across a
“ High NA EUV enables the precise patterning of qubit array using a 300mm CMOS-compatible these emergent states develop so that they can be transatlantic route. Live data running was protected
silicon quantum dot qubits. As the coupling strength semiconductor manufacturing process. manipulated and controlled. over 6,900km of Colt’s subsea and terrestrial
between neighbouring quantum dots increases CeTe3 is similar to graphene in that it is a two- network between New York and London with Ciena’s
In 2025 imec and Diraq demonstrated that silicon
exponentially with the gap between them, we need to dimensional layered material with ultrafast mobile WaveLogic 6 Extreme (WL6e) encryption.
spin qubits produced on an industrial manufacturing
reliably pattern gaps of a few nanometres between electrons. Unlike graphene, however, CeTe3 contains
platform could achieve the fidelity levels required for
the control electrodes of the quantum dots. This is a two types of atoms, namely tellurium and cerium.
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