NXP and German Aerospace Center DLR Collaborate on Quantum Computing Technologies in Germany

NXP will leverage its semiconductor expertise to help build quantum computers based on ion traps in collaboration with DLR and its partners.

NXP’s contributions include hardware components needed to integrate quantum computers into classical computing environments, photon detection sensor technology, and packaging

The DLR Innovation Center is located at the NXP site in Hamburg, Germany

NXP and German Aerospace Center DLR Collaborate on Quantum Computing Technologies in Germany image

This image shows a 3-inch wafer with microfabricated quantum processors based on trapped ion technology. Photo credits : QUDORA Technologies GmbH.

NXP Semiconductors (NASDAQ: NXPI) today announced its collaboration with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and other partners on ion trap-based quantum computers as part of the DLR Quantum Computing Initiative. The initiative aims to build quantum computers to enable new innovations in energy, automotive, government, aerospace and other critical infrastructure.

Quantum computers can process data much faster than classical computers, allowing them to solve complex problems that can help society in many ways, including weather and climate model calculations, accelerated development of drugs and vaccines, improved model calculations for mobility and logistics, cybersecurity protection and much more. Although these complex machines are rapidly evolving, they remain difficult to build, require deep levels of expertise, and a path to industrialization needs to be further developed.

To help realize these new innovations, NXP is collaborating with recognized leaders in the field of quantum computing. With eleQtron, ParityQC, QUDORA Technologies and the technical university of HamburgNXP will pool expertise from across the industry to enable rapid advances in quantum computing and help deploy scalable, marketable solutions in the near future.

With its long experience in scaling and miniaturizing the physical applications required to manufacture industrial sensing logic components and on-chip sensor technologies, NXP will provide the control electronics needed to integrate computing quantum in a classical computing environment, as well as cryogenically adapted conditioning and photon detection for reading quantum states.

“Quantum computers will bring the next big wave of innovation to our society, enabling new solutions to complex, long-standing challenges. Working with DLR and other participants in this project, NXP experts will be at the forefront of this innovation, contributing their expertise to enable new innovations that will help our society become smarter, safer and more secure.

Lars Regertechnical director at NXP Semiconductors

“DLR is awarding contracts under its Quantum Computing initiative, with the goal of creating qubits based on ion traps. This technology is considered very promising and will be explored through targeted research. This brings us one step closer to a programmable, fault-tolerant quantum computer. Through the close cooperation of business and science, synergies are created that strengthen the quantum computing ecosystem and thus offer new opportunities for start-ups.”

Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, Chair of the DLR Board

In order to foster close collaboration between the organizations involved, the DLR Innovation Center is located at the NXP site in Hamburg, Germanyand is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2023.

eleQtron is a spin-off from Department of Quantum Optics to University of Siegen. Founded in 2020, the company develops, produces, operates and markets computing time on quantum computers based on ion traps. As Germany’s leading manufacturer of quantum computers, eleQtron is currently building increasingly powerful quantum computers and connecting them to the cloud. Its proprietary technology eliminates the need for laser light for quantum logic operations, providing a clear path to scalability.

ParityQC is the only quantum architecture company in the world. The focus is on developing plans for quantum computers and their operating system. ParityQC works with hardware partners around the world to build quantum computers with applications ranging from error-correcting universal quantum computing to solving optimization problems on near-term devices.

QUDORA Technologies is a deep tech spin-off of Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Braunschweig University of Technology and Leibniz University of Hanover, rooted in the Quantum Valley Lower Saxony (QVLS) ecosystem. The start-up develops trapped-ion quantum computers based on highly integrated quantum processors using a scalable laserless quantum gate mechanism.

About NXP Semiconductors

NXP Semiconductors AG (NASDAQ: NXPI) enables a smarter, safer and more sustainable world through innovation. As a global leader in secure connectivity solutions for in-vehicle applications, NXP pushes the boundaries of the automotive, industrial and IoT, mobile telephony and communications infrastructure markets. Leveraging more than 60 years of combined experience and expertise, the company has approximately 31,000 employees in more than 30 countries and has sales of $11.06 billion in 2021. Learn more at www.nxp.com.

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