Rigetti Granted Air Force Office of Scientific Research Award to Further Develop Breakthrough Chip Fabrication Technology

Core Insights - Rigetti Computing, Inc. has been awarded a $5.48 million grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research to advance its chip fabrication technology, Alternating-Bias Assisted Annealing (ABAA) [2][5] - The consortium includes notable institutions such as Iowa State University, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, the University of Connecticut, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, aiming to understand how ABAA reduces defects in superconducting qubits [2][4] Group 1: Project Overview - The project focuses on developing a deeper understanding of ABAA's impact on chip fabrication at a microscopic level, which is crucial for addressing defects in superconducting qubits [2][3] - Rigetti's ABAA technique involves applying alternating low-voltage pulses at room temperature to the oxide barrier of the Josephson junction, enhancing qubit performance and scalability [3][4] Group 2: Technical Advancements - Devices manufactured using ABAA have shown a reduction in two-level systems (TLSs), which are defects that negatively affect qubit performance [4] - Understanding ABAA's effects on TLSs is expected to facilitate the scaling of superconducting quantum devices and applications relying on amorphous materials [4] Group 3: Strategic Positioning - The CEO of Rigetti emphasized that this project will enhance the company's understanding of superconducting qubit defects, positioning it better for scaling systems with improved performance [5] - Rigetti is actively supporting the U.S. Government's efforts to maintain leadership in quantum computing and is involved in DARPA's Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, which aims for utility-scale quantum computing by 2033 [5] Group 4: Company Background - Rigetti is recognized as a pioneer in full-stack quantum computing and has been operating quantum computers over the cloud since 2017 [6] - The company has developed the industry's first multi-chip quantum processor and manufactures its chips in-house at its dedicated facility, Fab-1 [6]