The consortium hopes to create a manufacturing ecosystem that can produce high quality quantum photonic chips at scale.
Tyndall National Institute, based out of University College Cork, will be leading and hosting the Irish chapter of a major €50m European initiative called Photonics for Quantum (P4Q).
Coordinated by the University of Twente in the Netherlands, P4Q will launch across 12 countries, bringing together leading research institutes, semiconductor foundries and deep-tech companies in the region to accelerate quantum technology development and manufacturing in Europe.
The consortium hopes to create the manufacturing ecosystem Europe needs to produce high quality quantum photonic chips at scale, a capability that has become critical as the global race for quantum comes to a head. The project is co-funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Skills in Ireland.
Photonic chips are a key quantum technology, which enable breakthroughs in quantum sensing, communication and computing. Today, the major challenge remains to scale, as future quantum solutions will require large numbers of high-quality photonic chips, produced reliably and in high volumes.
Tyndall will be contributing its expertise in advanced packaging of quantum photonic chips designed to operate at cryogenic temperatures, the institute said.
P4Q “represents an important milestone for Europe’s quantum and semiconductor ambitions”, said Tyndall CEO Prof William Scanlon. “Advancing the packaging of quantum photonic chips is essential for building a scalable manufacturing base in Europe.”
Prof Peter O’Brien, the head of photonics packaging at Tyndall added: “P4Q provides Ireland with a unique opportunity to lead the development of advanced packaging technologies for quantum devices.
“With our state-of-the-art infrastructure and unique expertise, Ireland is exceptionally well positioned to stay at the forefront of quantum research and industrialisation, fully aligned with our national semiconductor strategy.”
Other partner institutions in this project include the Austrian Institute of Technology, Alpine Quantum Technologies, CEA-Leti and Quandela in France, Delft Networks, Sparrow Quantum in Denmark and VTT in Finland.
The EU launched the second of its five Chips Act pilot lines earlier this week. Called NanoIC, this pilot line represents a combined investment of €2.5bn and is set to deploy the state-of-the-art advanced extreme ultraviolet lithography machine. Tyndall is set to benefit as one of the NanoIC pilot line’s partner institutes.
Last month, Tyndall announced an expansion package of more than €100m with plans to double its organisational footprint, which it hopes will strengthen Ireland’s global position in semiconductor R&D.
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