UNSW Startup Diraq Proves Quantum Chips Ready for Mass Production

Diraq, a UNSW Sydney spinout, has achieved a pivotal breakthrough in manufacturing quantum computer chips, demonstrating that silicon quantum dot qubits can be fabricated with industrial methods while maintaining fidelity above 99%. This milestone propels the company to the forefront of efforts to build commercially viable quantum computers, leveraging the established global microchip industry to bridge the gap between laboratory prototypes and widespread, utility-scale devices.quantumcomputingreport+2

Breakthrough in Manufacturing Quantum Chips

Diraq’s innovation was realized through a collaboration with imec, a leading European nanoelectronics institute. By fabricating Diraq-designed chips using imec’s 300mm CMOS semiconductor platform, the teams proved that high-fidelity quantum operations—previously attainable only under tightly controlled lab conditions—can be reliably reproduced in a commercial foundry environment. The resulting two-qubit gate operations consistently exceeded the critical 99% fidelity threshold, necessary for effective quantum error correction and large-scale quantum computing.eurekalert+2

Importance for Commercial Quantum Computing

Crossing this fidelity threshold in real-world manufacturing is a crucial step toward “utility scale,” where quantum computers will create more value than their running costs. Diraq’s chips leverage the processes used for traditional silicon microchips, offering a scalable and cost-effective path to produce millions of qubits per chip. This achievement aligns Diraq with the goals set by DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, which centers on demonstrating a commercially viable, utility-scale quantum computer by 2033.innovationaus+2

Future Roadmap and Industry Implications

Diraq plans a multi-phase approach moving from current high-fidelity in-house prototypes to fully fault-tolerant systems containing millions of physical qubits, all compatible with established semiconductor manufacturing infrastructure. The company’s demonstrated 99%-plus fidelity for two-qubit gates—achieved for the first time in silicon CMOS devices—cements its position as a major player in the global race for practical, large-scale quantum computers, opening pathways for applications far beyond the capability of today’s supercomputers.postquantum+2

This achievement signals that commercially manufactured silicon-based quantum processors are no longer just a lab curiosity, but a scalable platform ready to transform industries reliant on computational power.quantumcomputingreport+2