SemiQon, VTT Quantum win EARTO Award for Cryogenic CMOS Chip
VTT Quantum
European Innovators SemiQon and VTT Win c for Cryogenic CMOS Technology
In the competitive EARTO awards, SemiQon and VTT won the top medal for European technological and strategic innovation. Their breakthrough cryogenic CMOS chip earned “Impact Expected” first prize. This achievement helps sophisticated space technology and next-generation computers solve costly and chronic difficulties.
Specifically, the cryogenic CMOS chip handles architectural challenges including heat dissipation and energy usage in cryogenic environments. Quantum computers expand in size and operate at temperatures close to absolute zero, making power management and heat removal difficult and expensive.
SemiQon and VTT claim their new chip solves these issues with considerable efficiency and cost savings. These devices are expected to significantly reduce the physical volume and cost of quantum computer readout infrastructures in the near future. At least 30% short-term reduction is expected. Long-term cost and volume reduction is estimated at over tenfold.
This cutting-edge technology has economic benefits beyond quantum computing. Additionally, the technology could help build greener data centers and supercomputers worldwide. The idea might cut cooling costs by $20–30 billion worldwide, helping lower the high-performance computing infrastructure's cooling costs. The project's EARTO “Impact Expected” award is due to its financial and environmental savings.
Success began at VTT, where the technology was developed. One of the primary strategic goals is to keep this critical technology in Europe. Famous European pilot line foundries focus on making these cutting-edge cryogenic CMOS chips. Production at Micronova is underway. The proposed Kvanttinova hub will increase production capacities.
Localizing this technology's development and manufacturing has geopolitical implications for Europe. This innovation promotes and protects the semiconductor supply chain to improve the European semiconductor industry. Keeping such cutting-edge technology in-house helps Europe maintain its strategic independence in crucial technologies.
SemiQon received funding because European innovation authorities value this venture strategically. The European Innovation Council (EIC) gave SemiQon a large, competitive, non-dilutive grant. This sum was €2.5 million, or $2.9 million USD.
The business has attracted more investment, including this large EIC grant. SemiQon received another €15 million equity-based designated investment. We're adding $17.47 million USD to enhance and expand this groundbreaking cryogenic CMOS chip technology.
SemiQon and VTT quantum won first place in the EARTO “Impact Expected” category, demonstrating this European partnership's potential. This cryogenic CMOS chip is positioned as a key technology for the future of quantum computing infrastructure and global sustainable supercomputing due to VTT's cutting-edge research, the strategic choice to use European manufacturing capabilities like Micronova and the planned Kvanttinova hub, and the EIC's strong financial support.
This discovery could transform several high-stakes sectors by saving tens of billions of dollars in cooling costs and reducing quantum readouts' cost and volume by 30% in the medium term and possibly tenfold in the long run.