Diamond wafer advancement could lead to improved quantum memory
Tokyo-based Adamant Namiki Precision Jewelry Co., Ltd., working with Japan’s Saga University has developed a mass-production technology for ultra-high purity diamond wafers with a diameter of 2 inches that potentially could be used to vastly improve quantum memory storage in quantum computers and ultra-high-sensitivity magnetic sensors.
The parties said usable diamond crystals for these purposes previously measured only about 4 mm square, but that the collaboration, employing a step flow growth method, has resulted in a diamond wafer with ultra-high purity and a diameter of about 55 mm (2 inches).
The larger diameter was achieved late last year, but at the time, “in this diamond crystal growth technology, nitrogen gas had to be used to obtain a high growth rate, so nitrogen impurities with a concentration of several ppm were mixed into the diamond crystal, and could not be used in a quantum computer,” a statement from the parties said.
However, Adamant Namiki Precision Jewelry’s mass-production process supresses “the mixing of nitrogen as much as possible through crystal growth. Quantum memory using diamonds can record ultra-high density data, and one diamond wafer with a diameter of 2 inches can store data equivalent to 1 billion Blue-Ray discs,” the statement said. “This is equivalent to the total amount of mobile data distributed worldwide in one day, and fits on one diamond wafer.”
Such comparisons are likely to excite many involved in and observing the quantum computing market, and inspire more advances in quantum memory. This news appeared the same day that Yokohama National University was reported to be exploring fault tolerant quantum memory. Also, quantum computing firm Qunnect has had some success commercializing quantum memory, including a sale late last year to Brookhaven National Laboratory.
In this case, the Japanese collaborators said the new technology is likely to be commercialized in 2023.
Dan has covered telecommunications and related topics including semiconductors, sensors, retail systems, digital payments and quantum computing/technology for over 25 years.
