Strategies for enabling quantum development with testing and measurement from 77K to millikelvins

Quantum computing will likely utilize numerous new technologies that operate at multiple different cryogenic temperatures. For example, a quantum computer can deploy 77K CMOS memory modules, 4K superconducting control chips, and a quantum processing unit (QPU) of less than 20 mK. This was already emphasized in 2020 in an interview with Fabio Sebastiano. A strategy involving testing and measuring is cited in the RF Technology program by Dong-Tuc from Microtron.

To develop and deploy the various subsystems and technologies, it is vital to test and measure them reliably and efficiently at or near their operating temperature. Dong-Tuc's presentation discusses:

• Technologies being investigated at 77K, 4K and milli-Kelvin for implementation in a quantum computer.
• Challenges for researchers when performing cryogenic characterization measurements.
• The leading solutions for measuring the performance of cryogenic devices and circuits at wafer and chip scale.

In the aforementioned interview, Fabio Sebastiano indicates that cooling is crucial. “There are many problems that need to be solved before we have a working large-scale quantum computer,” Sebastiano said. “The quantum information stored in qubits can quickly degrade and become unusable unless qubits are cooled to temperatures very close to absolute zero (-273 degrees Celsius or 0 Kelvin). For this reason, qubits typically operate in special refrigerators at temperatures as low as 0.01 K, controlled by conventional electronics operating at room temperature.

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