(SmallCaps) Australian semiconductor company Archer Materials (ASX: AXE) is developing a quantum chip, that it describes as unlike any other.Danica Cullinane explains Archer’s technology and value position. IQT-News summarizes below.
The company says its technology has the potential to bridge the gap between quantum machines that require large infrastructure to operate and quantum chips in portable devices, like mobile phones.
Archer recently achieved a major technical feat in the development of what it dubs its ‘12CQ’ (one-two-see-que) chip technology, which it says could pave the way for quantum powered mobile devices.
The company recently revealed it had detected quantum information on-chip, at room temperature, while using mobile phone compatible technology.
Archer did this using ‘a single-chip integrated electron spin resonance detector based on high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) technology’. HEMT is widely used in integrated circuits such as those in mobile phones.
The company believes this is a significant step, as many quantum computing machines currently use quantum chips that operate at low temperatures or are difficult to integrate in modern electronics, which limits ownership and use of practical quantum devices.
Archer is the only ASX-listed company and one of a few players in the world developing qubit processor chip technology in the semiconductor industry
The path to the widespread adoption and applications of quantum computing technology relies heavily on the hardware development of quantum processor chips.
The company has patents protecting the technology in the US, China, South Korea, Japan, and Europe.
Currently, Archer is working on its quantum chip development at various world-class semiconductor facilities in Australia and Switzerland. Archer was the first Australian company building a qubit processor to join the invite-only, global IBM Quantum Network.
Archer confirms it is well-funded to progress its flagship 12CQ technology development with $29 million in cash and no corporate debt.
A key focus area for Archer’s scale-up includes the company’s domestic and international capabilities in advanced semiconductor design, fabrication, and prototyping.
Sandra K. Helsel, Ph.D. has been researching and reporting on frontier technologies since 1990. She has her Ph.D. from the University of Arizona.