The SPINS pilot line project, endowed with 50 million euros, has been made possible thanks to co-financing from the European Union's Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU) and the national and regional authorities of the participating Member States.
Quantum computing has become a highly strategic field whose economic and social relevance is increasing considerably. Applications range from advances in drug discovery and materials science to ultra-secure communications and next-generation navigation systems.
However, a gap remains between current quantum research and manufacturable quantum processors that would enable meaningful quantum applications. Increasing the number of stable qubits (up to one billion) is key to building reliable and fault-tolerant quantum computers.
Given the technological complexity, which includes cryogenic operation, ultra-precise control electronics, and highly specialized manufacturing processes, and given the strategic importance of quantum chips, the EU Chips Act has established six complementary quantum pilot lines, each focused on a distinct hardware platform and which, together, drive quantum technologies in the fields of quantum computing, communications, and sensing.
Within this portfolio, SPINS is the pilot line dedicated to semiconductor-based spin qubits, with a primary focus on supplying quantum chips for quantum computing applications.
Imec coordinates the efforts of this new pilot line and leads the European consortium of 25 partners, ranging from research organizations such as Fraunhofer, VTT and CEA-Leti, industry (both large companies such as Infineon and Siltronic as well as SMEs and startups) and academic groups (such as Delft University of Technology and the University of Jyväskylä), contributing complementary knowledge and skills, with the aim of translating the strategic framework of the EU Chips Act into concrete actions.
The initial actions of the SPINS consortium include optimizing processes and designs to establish a solid foundation for scalable, stable, and high-performance spin qubits across three different technology platforms: Si/SiGe, Ge/GeSi, and SOI. SPINS aims to establish a lab-to-factory pathway for this technology using standardized multi-project wafers (MPWs) and quantum process design kits (PDKs), thereby lowering the barriers to entry for startups and SMEs in quantum semiconductor technology and laying the groundwork for European companies to develop quantum expertise from the ground up.
Kristiaan De Greve, SPINS Coordinator: “Scaling up qubits requires an extremely controllable environment and a robust manufacturing process, given qubits’ extreme sensitivity to ambient noise. These challenges demand both the precision and control that can only be achieved in a state-of-the-art semiconductor cleanroom infrastructure, combined with the research and innovation mindset needed to adapt such an environment to these highly sensitive qubits. At imec, we have been creatively addressing complex problems related to advanced semiconductor manufacturing for over 40 years. By combining the expertise of our partners in the European consortium on this quantum pilot line, we will accelerate the development of high-TRL semiconductor qubits and thus enable larger-scale quantum systems manufactured in Europe.”
Complementary lines of European quantum efforts, alongside the semiconductor-based pilot line, include pilot lines on photonics for the quantum project "P4Q" (coordinated by the University of Twente, Netherlands) — in which imec also participates —, the "CHAMP-ION" ion trap qubits (coordinated by SAL, AT), the "SUPREME" superconducting qubits (coordinated by VTT, FI), the "DIREQT" diamond quantum chips (coordinated by CNR, IT) and the "Q PLANET" neutral atoms (coordinated by Pasqal, FR).
