On September 18th, local time, Oxford Ionics, a quantum computing technology company owned by the University of Oxford, UK, announced that it has signed a contract with Infineon Technologies AG to build a state-of-the-art portable quantum computer for the Agentur für Innovation in der Cybersicherheit GmbH (“Cyberagentur”). GmbH (“Cyberagentur”) to build a state-of-the-art portable quantum computer. Oxford Ionics and Infineon are among the three independent contractors chosen by Cyberagentur, which has invested a total of 35 million euros in the project.
Partnership for portable quantum computing
Cyberagentur, which was founded by the German federal government to advance research and innovation in the field of cybersecurity to promote the country’s internal and external security, is described as using Oxford Ionics’ portable quantum computer, the MinIon, for the development of applications in the areas of national security and defense.
Governments around the world are currently very interested in quantum computers, as they will be an integral part of national security and digital sovereignty. Government agencies around the world are already exploring different applications of quantum computing, from enhanced computing power to encryption, and Cyberagentur is particularly focused on applying quantum computing to “mobile defense”, which means that it can utilize compact, lightweight, and energy-efficient mobile quantum computers for security and defense scenarios. These smaller systems are easily deployed, transported and upgraded in the field, providing a key advantage to nation states.
Advancements in quantum technology and national security
Building stable, high-performance quantum computers is extremely challenging. It requires the creation of high-performance quantum bits and a way to control those quantum bits in a scalable way. Only one technique, captive ions, has demonstrated the performance needed to build useful quantum computers. However, so far, captive ions have been difficult to scale because they are typically controlled by lasers.
In July, Oxford Ionics demonstrated the world’s highest-performance quantum chip, which can be mass-produced in a standard semiconductor manufacturing facility.Oxford Ionics has developed a proprietary technology known as “electron quantum bit control,” which means it uses an electronic device rather than a laser to control its quantum bits. quantum bits. This inherently powerful technology can then be integrated into standard-sized chips produced in today’s semiconductor manufacturing facilities. Through this unique approach, Oxford Ionics’ quantum computers can provide powerful computational capabilities in industry-leading small physical spaces, making Oxford Ionics uniquely positioned to offer mobile quantum computers.
With this technology, Oxford Ionics has set industry records for both double and single quantum bit gate performance (fidelity). Previous world records were achieved by using error correction to reduce errors in the hardware. the Oxford Ionics chip delivers more than twice the performance without error correction, using 10 times fewer quantum bits: a validated double quantum bit gate implementation with 99.97% level of fidelity, and a validated single quantum bit arithmetic implementation with up to 99.9992% fidelity.
The MinIon will be the sixth quantum computer delivered by Oxford Ionics, following the company’s contract with the UK’s National Quantum Computing Center (NQCC) earlier this year. As Oxford Ionics’ research and development partner, Infineon AG will contribute its expertise in highly reliable microfabrication of large ion trap chips. The two companies will collaborate on the development of increasingly powerful Quantum Processor Units (QPUs) to capitalize on Oxford Ionics’ world leadership in scalable manufacturing and quantum bit quality. This quality has recently been demonstrated by Oxford Ionics’ world record performance in single and double quantum bit gate fidelity and quantum state preparation and measurement (SPAM).
Dr. Roman Bansen, Head of Quantum Technologies at Cyberagentur, commented, “Mobile systems are particularly important for security and defense scenarios, as they can operate independently of data connections to fixed data centers. This is especially crucial in crisis or defense situations. At the same time, mobile quantum computers may also offer considerable advantages for civilian applications.
Dr. Chris Ballance, Co-Founder and CEO of Oxford Ionics, commented, “We are excited to deliver the first mobile version of our product line to Cyberagentur. Since our inception, we have viewed the challenge of building powerful quantum computers as an engineering project rather than a scientific one. This approach has yielded both the world’s highest-performing chips and a powerful technology that can deliver industry-leading performance in a small physical footprint tailored to our customers’ needs.The MinIon represents the first of these small-scale systems, uniquely designed to accommodate the dynamic, fast-paced nature of national security and defense.
About Oxford Ionics
Oxford Ionics was co-founded in 2019 by Dr. Tom Harty and Dr. Chris Ballance, who both hold the world record for quantum breakthroughs. The team includes 55 global experts from the fields of physics, quantum architecture, engineering and software, with staff numbers expected to triple over the next three years as the business expands internationally. To date, Oxford Ionics has raised £37 million with investors including Braavos, OSE, Lansdowne Partners, Prosus Ventures, 2xN and Hermann Hauser (founder of chip giant Arm).
