First Electronic-Photonic Quantum Chip Manufactured In Commercial Foundry

First time quantum light sources, control electronics are tightly integrated on a silicon chip

• Link to: Northwestern Now Story
• First time scientists have built a silicon chip combining quantum light with electronic circuits
• Built-in electronic system monitors and stabilizes quantum light sources in real time
• Chip was fabricated in high-volume commercial semiconductor foundry, demonstrating its practicality for mass production

For the first time, scientists at Northwestern University, Boston University (BU) and University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) have built a tiny photonic quantum system into a traditional electronic chip.

The first-of-its-kind silicon chip combines both the quantum light-generating components (photonics) with classical electronic control circuits — all packed into an area measuring just one millimeter by one millimeter. So, not only does the chip generate quantum light, but it also has its own built-in smart electronic system to keep that light perfectly stable.

This photonic-electronic integration enables the single chip to reliably produce a stream of photon pairs — basic units that encode quantum information — required for light-based quantum communication, sensing and processing.

A commercial semiconductor foundry fabricated the chip, demonstrating its ability to be manufactured for large-scale production.