UK-German collaboration SPARQs quantum innovation

The SPARQ(s) project (scalable, precise, and reliable positioning of color centers [sic] for quantum computing and simulation) brings together the two UK partners with German research institute Fraunhofer IAF and company XeedQ. 

The collaboration has been funded by Innovate UK and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) through a UK – Germany Bilateral: Collaborative R&D competition. The aim of the programme is to enhance UK and German collaborations and capabilities in the emerging fields of technology in our society. This is to develop and deliver new innovations and applications of the technologies across a broad range of sectors. 

Further developing existing technology 

Ionoptika’s Q-One™ product is a state-of-the-art focused ion beam platform for advanced device fabrication and nanoscale materials engineering. It can implant a single ion onto a material with incredible accuracy and also detect whether that ion has been successfully implanted. One such material is diamond, which can have elements implanted to create colour centres. These can be used as quantum magnetometers, where applications of the nitrogen-vacancy colour centre include advanced microscopes and biosensing.  

To increase the scope of research that can be undertaken by the materials produced, Ionoptika is trying to increase the range of different elements that the system can implant. It uses two different methods to create an ion source, but these can currently only be used one at a time. Ionoptika is developing a single column with a means to rapidly swap sources which use two different ion creating technologies. 

The project goal is to develop, test and characterise the novel dual-source system, for use with the Q-One instrument. By enabling the seamless use of liquid metal and plasma ion sources, the Q-One would become the first commercially available single ion implanter system which will cover the entire spectrum of current technological applications of ion implantation, both at academic and industrial research level.

Benefits for the company, the field and society 

This collaboration has given us the opportunity to bring together experts in their fields across the two countries, which we hope will lead to more rapid progress. If the project is a success, there will be benefits to us as a company, but also wider benefits. The increase in the source range at a reasonable cost will drive sales of the Q-One system over the next five years. We have already employed two new staff members and the expected growth in sales as a result of the development will lead to more jobs being created at Ionoptika. 

“More importantly, it will expand the capabilities of researchers to examine new quantum devices fabricated from implantation of these elements which has the potential to provide significant economic and societal benefits in the coming decades.

– Tony Adams, Engineering Director at Ionoptika

Find out more about the latest round of UK-Germany Collaborative R&D funding here.