Co Founder of Diraq Speak About Build A Business Around Silicon Quantum Qubits In Podcast

Professor Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor in Quantum Engineering at UNSW Sydney, and CEO of Diraq, leads research focused on silicon spin qubits fabricated via modification of standard CMOS transistors to create quantum dots, encoding quantum information in electron spin-a methodology with foundational concepts dating back over two decades. Diraq has demonstrated high-fidelity qubit manufacturing-exceeding 99% across all metrics-on 300mm wafers at commercial foundries including GlobalFoundries and IMEC, achieving qubit dimensions of tens of nanometers, enabling millions of qubits per chip. Their architecture integrates quantum and classical CMOS electronics, utilising existing silicon design toolchains like Cadence, and employs CMOS bucket-brigade techniques for fast (<nanosecond scale) qubit movement, facilitating complex quantum operations; these qubits operate at approximately 1 Kelvin, allowing for co-location of control electronics. Diraq is developing native error correction schemes for their modular, non-fully 2D-grid architecture, with error correction controllers (CPUs, GPUs, ASICs, FPGAs) situated outside the cryogenic environment, and aims for a first product release in the first half of 2029-a fully integrated module with thousands of physical qubits, sufficient for logical qubits capable of surpassing classical supercomputing capabilities, with near-term (100-200 qubit) systems available to select partners. The long-term vision encompasses integration of thousands of quantum processors into conventional data centres alongside AI and HPC for applications including drug design and materials discovery.

Silicon Qubit Technology

Silicon quantum qubits, pioneered by Diraq and underpinned by over two decades of research, represent a distinct approach to quantum computation, diverging from prevalent modalities such as superconducting, trapped ion, and neutral atom systems. Professor Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor in Quantum Engineering at UNSW Sydney, CEO and co-founder of Diraq, and an ARC Laureate Fellow, elucidates that the technology centres on modifying standard CMOS transistors to harness the spin of electrons trapped within nanoscale quantum dots – regions of silicon meticulously engineered to confine these particles.

Diraq’s methodology distinguishes itself through the utilisation of existing silicon manufacturing infrastructure, specifically standard 300mm wafers processed at commercial foundries like GlobalFoundries and IMEC. This strategic alignment with established semiconductor fabrication techniques allows for the creation of qubits measuring tens of nanometers in size – significantly smaller than many superconducting devices – enabling the potential for millions of qubits to be integrated onto a single chip.

Recent demonstrations have yielded high-fidelity qubit manufacturing, with all measured fidelity metrics exceeding 99%, validating the precision and control achievable through this process and demonstrating a clear progression from initial experimental results. A key innovation lies in the co-integration of quantum and classical CMOS electronics on the same chip, facilitated by the use of standard silicon design toolchains such as Cadence.

This seamless integration avoids the complex wiring and cooling challenges inherent in systems requiring drastically different operating temperatures. Diraq’s qubits operate at approximately 1 Kelvin, a comparatively warmer temperature than the millikelvin ranges demanded by superconducting qubits, further simplifying system architecture and reducing operational complexity.

Movement of qubits across the chip is achieved through CMOS bucket-brigade techniques – analogous to charge-coupled devices – enabling fast (<nanosecond scale) operation and supporting intricate quantum computations. Diraq’s architectural roadmap prioritises modularity, with a focus on native error correction schemes tailored to their specific design.

While the exact configuration of error correction controllers – utilising CPUs, GPUs, ASICs, or FPGAs – remains under consideration, these will be strategically located outside the cryogenic environment but tightly integrated with the quantum module. The company anticipates releasing a fully integrated quantum computer module containing thousands of physical qubits by the first half of 2029, sufficient to generate logical qubits capable of surpassing the computational limits of classical supercomputers, with near-term systems (100-200 qubits) available to select partners and governmental organisations.

Dzurak envisions a future where thousands of quantum processors are integrated into conventional data centres, providing affordable and compact quantum computing alongside high-performance computing and artificial intelligence, with applications spanning drug discovery and materials science.

Manufacturing Breakthroughs

Diraq, led by CEO and Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak of UNSW Sydney – also an ARC Laureate Fellow and member of the Sydney Quantum Academy’s Executive Board – is pioneering a novel approach to quantum computing predicated on silicon spin qubits. This technology diverges from prevalent modalities in areas such as drug discovery, materials science, and financial modelling. Dzurak envisions a future where thousands of these quantum processors are integrated into conventional data centres, providing affordable and compact quantum computing alongside high-performance computing (HPC) and GPUs.

Error correction controllers, utilising CPUs, GPUs, ASICs, and FPGAs, will be located outside the cryogenic environment but tightly integrated with the quantum module, with the precise architecture remaining under consideration.