Equal1’s Quantum Computing Breakthrough with Arm Technology

When you’re driving hard to disrupt quantum computing paradigms, sometimes it’s smart to chill out. 

That’s Equal1’s philosophy. The Ireland-based company has notched another milestone on its journey deeper into the rapidly evolving field of quantum computing. Building on its success as winners of the “Silicon Startups Contest” in 2023, Equal1 has successfully tested the first chip incorporating an Arm Cortex processor at an astonishing temperature of 3.3 Kelvin (-269.85°C). That’s just a few degrees warmer than absolute zero, the theoretical lowest possible temperature where atomic motion nearly stops.

Equal1’s achievement is a crucial step in integrating classical computing components within the extremely power-constrained environment of a quantum cryo chamber. This brings the world closer to practical, scalable quantum computing systems. Cold temperatures reduce thermal noise that can cause errors in quantum computations and preserve quantum “coherence” – the ability of qubits to exist in multiple states simultaneously.

The Importance of Cryogenic Temperatures in Quantum Computing

What sets Equal1 apart in the quantum computing landscape is its pragmatic approach to quantum integration. Rather than creating entirely new infrastructure, Equal1’s vision was to build upon the foundation of the well-established semiconductor industry. This strategy became viable with the emergence of fully depleted silicon-on-insulator (FDSOI) processes, which the company’s founders recognized as having the potential to support quantum operations.

“Our thesis is that rather than tear up everything we’ve done and start anew, let’s try to build on top of what we’ve already built,” said Jason Lynch, CEO of Equal1. This philosophy has led to partnerships with industry leaders like Arm and NVIDIA, leveraging existing semiconductor expertise while pushing into quantum territory.

Cryo-Temperature Breakthrough

What makes this accomplishment particularly remarkable is the extensive engineering required to make it possible. 

“There is no such thing as a Spice Kit that works, that predicts what silicon is going to do at 3 Kelvin,” said Brendan Barry, Equal1’s CTO. “In fact, there’s no such thing as a methodology, no libraries you can get to make it happen.” 

Over five years, Equal1, which is part of the Arm Flexible Access program, developed its own internal Process Design Kit (PDK) and methodologies to predict and optimize logic behavior at cryogenic temperatures.

Equal1’s approach uses electrons or holes (the absence of electrons) as qubits, making their technology uniquely compatible with standard CMOS manufacturing processes. This choice wasn’t accidental; it’s fundamental to the company’s vision of creating practical, manufacturable quantum computers.

Working with commercial CMOS Fabs, Equal1 uses a standard process with proprietary design techniques developed over six years of research. These techniques enable operation at cryogenic temperatures while maintaining manufacturability. 

“We’re not changing anything in the process itself, but we are certainly pushing the limits of what the process can do,” Barry said.

Integrating the Arm Cortex-A55 Processor

Building on this success, Equal1 is now setting its sights even higher. The company plans to incorporate the more powerful Arm Cortex-A55 processor into its next-generation Quantum System-on-Chip (QSoC). This ambitious project aims to have silicon available by mid-2025, the company said.

The integration of Arm technology is crucial not just for processing power, but for power efficiency. At cryogenic temperatures, power management becomes critical as any heat generated can affect the quantum states. Arm’s advanced power-management features make it an ideal choice for this challenging environment.

Equal1’s technology targets three primary application areas:

• Chemistry and drug discovery, potentially reducing the current 15-year, $1.3 billion average cost of bringing new drugs to market.
• Optimization problems in finance, logistics, and other fields requiring complex variable management.
• Quantum AI applications, where quantum computing could dramatically improve efficiency.

Perhaps most revolutionary is Equal1’s approach to deployment. Unlike traditional quantum computers that require specialized facilities, Equal1 envisions rack-mounted quantum computers that can be installed in standard data centers at a fraction of the cost of current solutions. 

“They just rack in like any other standard high-performance compute,” said Patrick McNally, Equal1’s marketing lead.

The Road Ahead for Quantum Computing and Equal1

Equal1’s progress brings the world closer to the reality of compact, powerful quantum computers that can be deployed in standard high-performance computing environments. The company’s integration of Arm technology at cryogenic temperatures opens new possibilities for quantum-classical hybrid systems, potentially creating increased demand for Arm adoption across the quantum computing industry.

As quantum computing continues to evolve, Equal1’s practical approach to integration with existing semiconductor technology and infrastructure could prove to be a game-changer. With applications ranging from drug discovery to financial modeling and beyond, the future of quantum computing is looking increasingly accessible and practical.

And that’s pretty cool.