Dr. Subodh Kulkarni from Rigetti Computing, Inc. announced a three‑year, $5.8 million contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory to advance superconducting quantum networking, combining Rigetti’s 9‑qubit Novera QPU with QphoX’s single‑photon microwave‑optical transducers to enable entanglement between superconducting qubits and optical photons. Dr. Simon Groeblacher from QphoX echoed the significance, noting that the partnership will bring quantum networks closer to operational reality by linking cryogenic qubit processors with telecom‑grade optical fibres. The collaboration aims to deliver systems that preserve quantum coherence while converting microwave excitations to optical photons, a critical step toward a secure, long‑range quantum internet.
Rigetti Computing, Inc. and Dutch start‑up QphoX secured a three‑year, $5.8 million contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) announced on 18 September 2025 to accelerate the development of superconducting quantum networking. The award will see Rigetti’s superconducting microwave qubits integrated with QphoX’s single‑photon microwave‑optical transducers. AFRL’s principal research physicist Matt LaHaye highlighted the laboratory’s focus on embedding matter‑based quantum technologies into its newly established quantum local area networks (QLANs) at the Rome, New York installation.
Bridging Microwave and Optical Domains to Enable Long-Range Quantum State Transfer
Building on a prior demonstration in which Rigetti and QphoX performed optical single‑shot readout of a qubit, preserving quantum coherence during conversion, the project will convert microwave photons that encode quantum information into optical photons that can travel along standard telecom fibre without losing coherence. This conversion preserves the delicate quantum state, a prerequisite for entanglement between distant superconducting processors and for creating a scalable, distributed quantum computing architecture. The collaboration seeks to overcome the longstanding frequency mismatch between microwave control signals and optical communication channels.
The QLANs are engineered to carry quantum information over standard fibre that operates at telecom wavelengths, thereby creating a scalable platform for entanglement distribution within a defined geographic region. A key technical hurdle is the conversion of microwave excitations into optical photons that can propagate over kilometres of fibre without loss, a challenge addressed by QphoX’s transducers. By integrating these mixed‑technology interconnects into the Rome installation, AFRL aims to demonstrate full‑chain entanglement links that could support secure quantum key exchange for Air Force and DoD assets, while also providing a testbed for distributed quantum algorithms.
Commercialisation of Quantum Transduction Technology Paves Way for Scalable Distributed Quantum Computing
Rigetti’s chief executive Dr Subodh Kulkarni and QphoX’s chief executive Dr Simon Groeblacher highlighted that the partnership will transform laboratory demonstrations into production‑ready components that can be integrated into existing quantum‑classical infrastructures. The core technology couples Rigetti’s superconducting microwave qubits to QphoX’s single‑photon transducers, enabling a microwave‑to‑optical interface that preserves the quantum state of the photon. Rigetti’s qubit chips are fabricated in its Berkeley‑based Fab‑1 facility, while QphoX’s transducers are developed in Delft, Netherlands. Commercialising this transduction layer allows multiple modest‑scale quantum processors to be networked over fibre, creating a distributed architecture that scales beyond the limits of a single cryostat and paving the way for a secure quantum internet and high‑bandwidth distributed quantum computing services.
The $5.8 million contract marks a decisive step toward turning quantum transduction from a laboratory curiosity into a marketable component of superconducting quantum networking. By embedding the resulting heterogeneous interconnects into its QLANs, AFRL supports both defence missions and commercial applications, demonstrating a viable pathway for translating laboratory demonstrations into production‑ready solutions. The investment underscores the United States’ commitment to maintaining global leadership in quantum information science, ensuring that the country remains at the forefront of a technology that promises to reshape secure communications, high‑performance computing, and advanced analytics across both defence and commercial sectors.
Original Press Release
Source: Rigetti Computing, Inc.
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