Purdue Quantum Code Library for Next-Gen Nanoelectronics
Purdue research news
Tillmann Kubis led the development of Purdue University's Quantum Code Library, a complicated simulation engine for next-generation nanoelectronics. This large code base lets manufacturers model semiconductors at the atomic level for devices as small as two or three nanometers. These technologies predict how individual atoms affect transistor performance quickly and cheaply, unlike previous methods that required massive supercomputing capacity.
Industry-driven development ensures that the library addresses real-world difficulties faced by top IT businesses. The Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization's tailored software and license options allow these atomistic insights to be integrated into engineering processes.
A Single Atom Problem
As semiconductors shrink, the electronics industry faces the “problem of a single atom”. The 2-nanometer silicon semiconductor has about 16 atoms. Kubis says this small technology requires precision. “If the design has one more or fewer atoms than the average, the entire system can change nonlinearly beyond 10%,” Kubis said.
This sensitivity hinders bulk manufacture. All trillions of transistors in current computer chips must operate the same to perform properly. If even a few transistors act differently due to atomic variations, the device may not work. The Quantum Code Library enables exact modeling to keep these tiny devices working and robust despite atomic-scale obstacles.
Overcoming Resource and Cost Issues
Atomistic simulations were once considered too expensive and time-consuming. In the early 2010s, Purdue University researchers had to apply for and acquire project allocations on national supercomputers because such simulations can consume millions of CPU hours. At that time, several hundred samples could not accommodate atomic-scale device architectural differences.
Automated and systematic spectrum adjustments by the Purdue team have transformed the computing business. These enhancements reduce numerical expenses by several orders of magnitude without compromising forecast precision or atomic accuracy. By employing an efficient simulation environment, researchers may now perform simulations that are far more complicated than those from the previous 10 years without supercomputer allocations. Kubis noted that the library allows these actions to be completed quickly on smaller computer clusters, therefore he hasn't needed supercomputer resources in years.
Development by Industry
The Quantum Code Library matches industry goals better than other high-performing simulation tools worldwide. The Purdue library was built and funded by several Fortune 500 companies and industry leaders.
Kubis calls Purdue a “extended workbench” for these companies. This close collaboration ensured that the library's material features, device design, and physical impacts gave nearly instantaneous industrial solutions. Within a month of introduction, updates and new features addressed industry issues to keep the library at the forefront of commercial use.
Rhino Framework commercialization
Copyrights and patents from Purdue Innovates' Office of Technology Commercialization protect the Quantum Code Library's IP. The library powers several commercial simulation engines, including Silvaco Group Inc.'s Victory Atomistic, NEMO5.
Purdue is enhancing the Rhino framework, which allows comprehensive library customisation, to improve user experience. Rhino lets users turn enormous programs into simple tools for specific situations. This framework feeds atomistic data into non-atomistic TCAD tools, making "atomistic TCAD" creation easier. The library is also interfaced with density functional theory models and other material and physical chemistry tools to model chemical processes with millions of atoms.
Purdue's IEF
The Quantum Code Library is vital to Purdue Computes, a university program that focuses on semiconductor innovation, computer departments, physical AI, and quantum research. Purdue Innovates OTC, one of the nation's largest technology transfer programs, supports this project. The office's report of 161 agreements concluded and 269 innovations licensed in fiscal year 2025 shows Purdue's commitment to scaling knowledge.
Strategic projects like the Mitch Daniels School of Business and its urban expansion into Indianapolis help Purdue, a major public research university with nearly 106,000 students, pursue its “persistent pursuit of the next giant leap”. Even as it advances technology, the school has frozen tuition on its main campus for 14 years.
Purdue offers industrial partners nonexclusive rights for specific applications and possibly SaaS access to the Quantum Code Library for licensing or commercialization. Contact Purdue Research Foundation lead technology development liaison Dipak Narula for further information.