At a time when the Australian Government is putting a priority on investing in quantum computing and homegrown innovation, semiconductor company Archer Materials (ASX: AXE) has achieved a breakthrough in their 12CQ quantum project that will enhance its devices and progress toward practical quantum computing applications.
Archer’s quantum project is led by newly appointed Chief Technology Officer, Dr Simon Ruffell who joined Archer in February 2024 before taking up the CTO post on Monday.
The technology breakthrough comes following the development of a novel method for detecting single electron spins using adjustable resonators. These resonators can now be fine-tuned to respond more accurately and swiftly to spin signals.
The advancement allows Archer to manage more quantum bits (qubits) simultaneously, an essential step in the practical application of quantum computing.
The stability of an electron’s spin state, known as its spin lifetime, is crucial for quantum computing which requires extremely low temperatures to operate due to the extremely high speed of data processing within the quantum chips.
Archer’s ability to read these signals faster means they can achieve more before the electron loses its spin state. Through three separate test sessions, Dr Ruffell and his team refined detection circuits and studied single electron box devices in various settings, enabling more effective reading of the quantum states of the materials used.
The single electron box devices, which are crafted with extreme precision at the nanometre scale, each contain a single carbon nanoparticle. While devices made with standard gold nanoparticles performed well, those using carbon nanoparticle oxides (CNOs) initially resisted electricity and did not exhibit stable single electron charging signals.
Data from this method recorded electron spin lifetimes of up to 300 nanoseconds in films of CNOs formed by a new process. These lifetimes are comparable to those measured using the previous pyrolysis method, paving the way for a manufacturable process for devices based on CNOs.
“The Archer team has developed a new method to improve the detection of single electron spins using resonators. These resonators can be fine-tuned for faster and more accurate readings, a critical advancement for handling more qubits,” said Archer Executive Chairman, Greg English.
Further consolidating this method for detecting electron spin lifetimes, Archer confirmed an official project with Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) to explore electron movement through CNOs using graphene-based nanodevices. The collaboration aims to observe the Coulomb blockade phenomenon, a critical aspect of quantum physics and focusing on detailed studies of initial test wafer properties.
Wafer measurements are being performed at an extremely low temperature of 77 Kelvin (-196 degrees Celsius), with the graphene electrodes on essential devices being physically examined. The team is also verifying the presence of CNOs and clusters of CNOs on these devices.
Dr Ruffell and the Archer quantum team will meet with QMUL towards the end of July to discuss results from these low-temperature measurements and review progress and data from devices specially made with Archer’s CNOs.
“Our quantum team, led by Dr Simon Ruffell and Dr Byron Villis, has achieved a lot during the past few months, and we look forward to updating the market on the results of our work with QMUL,” added English.
“Archer’s research is ongoing as it aims to enhance its devices and progress toward practical quantum computing applications.”
Prior to joining Archer, Dr Ruffell has 20 years of international experience working on technology projects and managing multi-functional teams, including hardware, process and software engineering teams. This experience included senior roles at Microsoft and the University of Sydney.
Those roles were complemented by Dr Ruffell’s research background where he has a PhD in Physics from the University of Western Ontario and a Master of Electronic and Electrical Engineering (first class) from the University of Surrey, UK.
Quantum computing holds the potential to revolutionise various fields by solving complex problems that are currently intractable for classical computers. With quantum’s ability to perform calculations at unprecedented speeds, quantum computing can transform industries like cryptography, drug discovery, financial modelling, and climate forecasting.
However, quantum computing is not yet generally available to the public due to significant technical and practical challenges. Quantum systems require extremely low temperatures to maintain qubit stability and coherence, necessitating sophisticated and costly infrastructure. Additionally, error rates in quantum computations are still high, and developing robust error-correcting algorithms is an ongoing challenge.
Unlike many other quantum projects around the world that rely on superconducting circuits or trapped ions, Archer’s approach leverages the unique properties of CNOs to create qubits, which could potentially offer advantages in stability and manufacturability.
Archer is well capitalised with $20 million of cash available as of 31 March 2024 and has low operating costs with $3 million in net operating outflows for the 9 months to March 2024, primarily applied towards their R&D work.
Alfred Chan is a Business Reporter at The Sentiment specialising in ASX-listed small cap companies, bloodstock enthusiast and former Analyst.
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