Equipment for Quantum Science and Technology
Lead Research Organisation:
Royal Holloway University of London
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
The advanced sub-micron bonder is a nanofabrication tool which will underpin research in Quantum Science and Technology. It will be installed in SuperFab, a superconducting device nanofabrication facility based at Royal Holloway. The SuperFab foundry provides capability to fabricate superconducting quantum devices for sensing, metrology, security and information processing. Devices invented at Royal Holloway include the CQUID and HyQUID. SuperFab is part of the supply chain for a future UK quantum processor. SuperFab opened in April 2019 following around £10M of investment in world-class electron beam lithography, He-ion microscopy and Ne-ion focussed ion beam tools, supported by advanced optical lithography, advanced deposition, etching and characterisation tools, all dedicated to the production of sophisticated superconducting quantum devices.
Royal Holloway is also part of the European Microkelvin Platform, a European Advanced Infrastructure, supporting trans-national access to both the London Low Temperature Laboratory (as one of eight facilities across Europe) and SuperFab.
The tool will significantly enhance fabrication capability in several ways, and underpin a broad range of research on quantum materials and quantum technology. The bonder will enable the fabrication of superconducting devices with 3D architectures, through the precise alignment and bonding of modular components. These include prototype superconducting devices for: quantum processors, seeking improvements in coherence times; quantum sensing; quantum metamaterials. It will enable the bonding of nanofluidic devices for the confinement of both superfluid 4He, and superfluid 3He. This will underpin research on superfluid opto-mechanics, in which the acoustic modes of superfluid 4He comprise a high quality factor mechanical resonator coupled to a microwave cavity mode. It will underpin research on: topological mesoscopic 3He, which is a model system for topological superconductivity and phase transitions in the early universe; topological spintronics; candidate topological superconductors; candidate quantum spin liquids. It will further underpin development of silicon photo-multiplier detectors for dark matter searches, microwave photonics and sensors, and biological sensors.
Beyond the academic research enhancements the bonder will enable SuperFab to meet the demanding end-of-line infrastructure technology expectations of the market orientated external users, for packaging and connecting to devices fabricated using state-of-the-art electron beam lithography.
Royal Holloway is also part of the European Microkelvin Platform, a European Advanced Infrastructure, supporting trans-national access to both the London Low Temperature Laboratory (as one of eight facilities across Europe) and SuperFab.
The tool will significantly enhance fabrication capability in several ways, and underpin a broad range of research on quantum materials and quantum technology. The bonder will enable the fabrication of superconducting devices with 3D architectures, through the precise alignment and bonding of modular components. These include prototype superconducting devices for: quantum processors, seeking improvements in coherence times; quantum sensing; quantum metamaterials. It will enable the bonding of nanofluidic devices for the confinement of both superfluid 4He, and superfluid 3He. This will underpin research on superfluid opto-mechanics, in which the acoustic modes of superfluid 4He comprise a high quality factor mechanical resonator coupled to a microwave cavity mode. It will underpin research on: topological mesoscopic 3He, which is a model system for topological superconductivity and phase transitions in the early universe; topological spintronics; candidate topological superconductors; candidate quantum spin liquids. It will further underpin development of silicon photo-multiplier detectors for dark matter searches, microwave photonics and sensors, and biological sensors.
Beyond the academic research enhancements the bonder will enable SuperFab to meet the demanding end-of-line infrastructure technology expectations of the market orientated external users, for packaging and connecting to devices fabricated using state-of-the-art electron beam lithography.