PsiQuantum announced a $10.8 million contract with the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome, N.Y., marking a significant milestone in their ongoing partnership that began in 2022. This new phase will enable AFRL to explore comparative quantum circuits on PsiQuantum’s circuit tapeout, as part of the Omega quantum chipset manufacturing with GlobalFoundries.
Omega, a quantum photonic chipset designed for utility-scale quantum computing. Featured in a newly published paper in Nature, the Omega chipset includes all the advanced components required to build million-qubit-scale quantum computers, fulfilling the transformative promise of the technology. The Omega chipset is manufactured in a high-volume semiconductor fab – GlobalFoundries’ Fab 8 in New York – representing the highest level of technical maturity and scale in a field often limited to research labs and small-scale prototypes. PsiQuantum will also commence construction this year on two datacenter-sized Quantum Compute Centers in Brisbane, Australia, and Chicago, Illinois.
Prof. Jeremy O’Brien, Co-Founder and CEO of PsiQuantum: “The team at AFRL has long understood the value of cutting-edge silicon photonics, and we are grateful to continue our work with the lab to deliver our state-of-the-art quantum chip capabilities to the U.S. Air Force. This partnership will enable PsiQuantum to share our technology, which is manufactured in a world-class, high-volume semiconductor fab, with AFRL to validate and explore future applications that would benefit the U.S. Air Force. As the global race for utility-scale quantum computing continues, this kind of collaboration could not be more important, and we’re thrilled to be able to partner with technical leaders across the U.S. government who share our vision.”
Dr. Michael Hayduk, Deputy Director at AFRL Information Directorate: “Ongoing advancements from our industry partners in fault-tolerant quantum computing, and the expertise in silicon photonics, are proving to be a significant asset to our mission. We are not only observing promising developments in quantum information science but are also playing a proactive role in enhancing the national security landscape through these emerging capabilities.”
This collaboration has been made possible through the leadership and support of Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Elise Stefanik , who have been tireless advocates for the quantum computing community in Rome, NY, and across the state. Their efforts have secured funding for the program across multiple fiscal years.
Representative Elise Stefanik: “I am proud to have secured over $10 million in investments for AFRL-Rome to partner with PsiQuantum to deliver quantum technology components to the Air Force. This investment bolsters our national security, further solidifies Upstate New York’s role as a defense technology hub, and continues Rome Lab’s incredible work ensuring the United States is the first nation to reach quantum advantage.”
Senator Chuck Schumer: “The Air Force Research Lab in Rome and the powerhouse innovation and manufacturing ecosystem in the Mohawk Valley and across Upstate NY are critical to our national security and ensuring America leads the globe in the quantum computing and emerging technologies race. This $10.8 million contract is a win-win-win for PsiQuantum, GlobalFoundries, and good-paying jobs right here at the Rome Lab and across Upstate NY. I’m proud that my decades-long support for Rome Lab will boost America’s competitive edge in quantum even further with this contract, adding to Rome Lab’s tech leadership. This new contract will help make the Rome Lab and Upstate NY America’s leader in quantum computing. I will continue fighting to ensure the technology of tomorrow is developed right here in the Mohawk Valley.”
Source: PsiQuantum
