New Australian hub to build superconducting quantum devices

Sydney is set to expand its capabilities as one of the world’s leading manufacturing hubs of quantum technologies with the planned completion of a new high-tech fabrication facility for cutting-edge superconducting quantum circuits.

Backed by a $699,644 grant from the Australian Research Council (ARC) through the Linkage, Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) scheme, a research team from five partnering universities will install a cutting-edge ultra-high vacuum superconducting thin-film deposition system in state-of-the-art clean rooms at the University of Sydney.

Combined with a suite of other advanced tools, this will create Australia’s first one-stop shop facility for superconducting quantum circuit fabrication, and will be used to manufacture complex circuits for high-performance quantum computing or to upgrade and increase the performance of ‘classical’ (non-quantum) technologies like solar cells.

A/Prof Nathan Langford, Dr JP Dehollain, Dr Simon Devitt, and Dr Mária Kieferová of the Centre for Quantum Software and Information at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) are amongst the team of 15 quantum researchers driving the project.

“Superconducting circuits are at the forefront of the quantum computing revolution,” said A/Prof Langford who established the new UTS Millikelvin Quantum Science laboratory and leads the Circuit Quantum Science research group (CirQuS UTS) .
 
“The new system provides us with key missing capabilities for fabricating the superconducting circuits we use for quantum simulations, one of the most exciting applications for large-scale quantum computers, he said.

“And the fast prototyping enabled by the new ‘one-stop shop’ will allow us to rapidly test and optimise new designs and techniques for small to medium-scale quantum processors that are able to feed into large-scale industry efforts.”

The deposition tool is customised to create thin metal films that become superconductors when cooled to very low temperatures. Superconductors are special materials that can transport electrical current without resistance or energy dissipation.

This is particularly beneficial in the quantum realm, where devices are exquisitely sensitive to energy loss. Here, they are used to make special electronic circuits that can behave like ‘artificial atoms’, which can be used as quantum bits or qubits, the building blocks of quantum computing.

Superconducting thin-film technology will play a pivotal role in developing the quantum internet

Dr Simon Devitt
UTS Centre for Quantum Software and Information

Dr Dehollain, is an early-career researcher working on digital quantum simulations in the Millikelvin Quantum Science lab.

“The new thin-film deposition facility will provide fantastic opportunities for students in our local and national research community to be trained in cutting-edge superconducting circuit fabrication techniques,” he said.

“This type of technical experience will give them key skills required to work in quantum technologies in both academic or industry settings, anywhere in the world.”

Using entangled photons, quantum networks will enable secure information transmission across large distances, even globally via satellites. 

“Superconducting thin-film technology will play a pivotal role in developing the quantum internet,” said Dr Devitt who specialises in the emerging area of quantum communication.

“New architectures can be fabricated to link microwave qubits over optical networks and superconducting qubits will enable faster operation times.”

The Australian Government’s ARC LIEF scheme enables researchers to participate in cooperative initiatives so that expensive research infrastructure, equipment and facilities can be shared between higher education organisations and with industry.

The joint research project will strengthen new and existing connections between experimental and theoretical physicists of the five contributing universities: the University of Technology Sydney, The University of Sydney, UNSW, Macquarie University, and RMIT University.

As part of the NSW node of the Australian National Fabrication Facility at University of Sydney, the superconducting thin-film deposition system will boost Australian advanced manufacturing for quantum technologies which could ultimately benefit many industries such as data security, pharmaceutical design, disease treatment, finance, food security, energy production and transport.