Qubits are already cold, but they are about to get colder. In September, 2021, a patent application was published for ColdQuanta for a qubit array trap for trapping particles to form qubits for a quantum computer. ColdQuanta is not entirely new to the world of patents, but this appears to be its first application uniquely dedicated to quantum computing applications. So far, ColdQuanta has largely been developing devices to get matter into a highly cooled state for quantum research. 

ColdQuanta’s shift toward quantum computing comes after it was granted a $7.4 million contract from DARPA in April 2020 to develop scalable quantum computer technology. Unlike other companies pursuing quantum computing, ColdQuanta’s strategy is to use neutral atoms as qubits. Using neutral atoms allows the device to be scaled down considerably when compared to superconducting quantum computers, and even when compared to ion traps, as the neutral atoms do not face the issue of charge repulsion like ions do. However, while almost all quantum computing technology requires cold temperatures, ColdQuanta’s solution is taken to the extreme, with temperatures lower than 1 milliKelvin, rather than a standard operating temperature between 10 and 100 milliKelvin. 

According to its website, ColdQuanta plans to develop a 1,000 qubit computer by 2024. This is a bold initiative for a company just now turning its focus toward quantum computing. IBM, for example, has worked in the field for much longer and has set its own 1,000 qubit goal for 2023. Number of qubits isn’t the end-all, be-all measure of quantum computing power and the number isn’t unprecedented (D-Wave has a 5,000 qubit computer), but it certainly will not be a small task. For more on new qubit technology and the IP protecting it, follow the Quantum Computing Patent Forecast!