OrangeQS is advocating for a critical addition to the development of quantum chip manufacturing: a Process Control Kit integrated within future Process Design Kits. The company presented its views on utility grade quantum chip testing equipment at the ISIG Quantum Computing Infra Summit in Silicon Valley, building on insights from a recently released white paper. Recognizing that quantum hardware is shifting from academic research to engineering-driven scaling, OrangeQS asserts that identifying critical process steps and their impact on performance is the key challenge for all qubit modalities. “Certain building blocks of such future quantum PDKs are currently under development,” the company notes, but emphasizes the necessity of a PCK to effectively monitor and manipulate quantum production processes given limited observability and controllability. This approach, inspired by the chemical process industry, aims to lay the groundwork for a future.
Utility Grade Quantum Chip Testing at ISIG 2026
Determining quantum chip performance is resource-intensive, and the current lack of a well-established quantum-focused Process Design Kit (PDK) presents significant hurdles to large-scale manufacturing. OrangeQS emphasizes that future quantum PDKs must also incorporate a Process Control Kit (PCK) to address these limitations. The company draws a parallel between these challenges and those historically faced by the chemical process industry, where direct measurement of process variables is often limited and expensive. The white paper explains that due to the limited ability to directly observe quantum device performance, often measurable only at high costs, and to influence critical parameters in the quantum chip fabrication process, the observability and controllability of quantum production processes are markedly constrained. Instead of relying solely on direct measurement, the chemical industry utilizes process models, ranging from physics-based simulations to data-driven empirical representations, to infer system state and guide control actions.
This philosophy extends to a highly automated production environment with minimal human intervention, and OrangeQS envisions a similar system for quantum chip manufacturing. Establishing a robust data infrastructure is the first step, enabling the use of AI and machine learning to map operating windows, identify sensitivities, and predict performance outcomes; the OrangeQS MAX Partnership Program, focused on access to high-quality quantum chip performance data, exemplifies this collaborative approach toward scalable manufacturing and integration of quantum technologies.
Quantum PDK Development: Observability and Controllability Challenges
The pursuit of commercially viable quantum chips is increasingly defined by engineering challenges, moving beyond purely academic demonstrations, but significant hurdles remain in reliably assessing and influencing production processes. Identifying critical steps within quantum chip development and understanding their impact on performance represents a key obstacle across all qubit modalities; determining quantum chip performance is particularly resource-intensive, limiting the ability to effectively monitor and manipulate fabrication. The core of the problem lies in the constrained observability and controllability of quantum production, stemming from the difficulty of directly observing device performance and influencing critical fabrication parameters. The recent white paper released by the company explains that in control theory, the concepts of ‘observability’ and ‘controllability’ define whether the underlying physics of a process can be effectively monitored and manipulated using available sensors and actuators. The company believes that a value-chain approach, aligning incentives to maximise total industry value, will be crucial to realising this vision and unlocking the transformative potential of quantum computing hardware.
