Quantum Control Electronics: QED-C Advances

The Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C) has announced advancements in quantum control electronics achieved through a research program supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Addressing critical needs outlined in its Control and Readout Electronics for Quantum Systems roadmap, QED-C competitively awarded $1.4 million in matching funds in 2022 to member companies—Amphenol RF, Maybell Quantum Industries, Rigetti Computing, and XMA—to bolster the quantum supply chain. Results demonstrate improvements in size and performance across multiple qubit modalities, with innovations ranging from reduced cabling footprints to on-chip temperature measurement. “QED-C aims to identify gaps in enabling technologies for quantum computing, quantum sensing, and quantum networking,” and this work represents a significant step toward more compact and manufacturable quantum hardware, ultimately fostering a robust commercial industry and supply chain.

NIST Funding Drives Quantum Control Electronics Advancements

Amphenol RF successfully reduced the size, weight, and signal loss of room-temperature control readout electronics, paving the way for more manufacturable and scalable quantum systems. Simultaneously, Maybell Quantum Industries redesigned control and readout electronics to achieve tighter integration of passive and active devices, resulting in a simpler and denser package. Rigetti Computing innovated by creating nanoscale superconducting structures to directly measure temperature on the chip alongside qubit circuitry, a development that “will make it easier to identify and diagnose heating issues that can degrade qubit performance.” XMA tackled the issues of cost, footprint, and thermal impact, developing a cabling solution that increases channel capacity while simultaneously reducing size and expense. These advancements all aligned with four key goals from the QED-C roadmap, including reducing thermal load and the physical footprint of microwave-control cabling in cryogenic environments, and locating digital electronics closer to the quantum processor.

QED-C Roadmap Targets Cryogenic Cabling & Integration

The pursuit of scalable quantum computing currently relies on increasingly sophisticated control and readout electronics, a field where significant advancements are needed to overcome physical limitations. This collaborative effort targeted four key areas, including reducing thermal load and footprint of cryogenic cabling and enabling tighter integration of components within quantum processors. Rigetti Computing devised a method for on-chip temperature measurement using nanoscale superconducting structures, promising easier diagnosis of performance-degrading heating issues. Participation in the sponsored research and development program was limited to QED-C members, ensuring focused efforts aligned with industry needs.