The NV Technology

Diamond. The ideal host for our high-fidelity, time-stable qubits.
Calibrated once, diamond provides eternal functionality.

The SaxonQ diamond chip contains billions of carbon atoms. Our qubits are made from individual nitrogen atoms that we introduce in a deterministic ion implantation process into the diamond crystal lattice. Every nitrogen atom together with a neighboring missing carbon atom forms a NV qubit (nitrogen-vacancy center). Atomic nuclei in the vicinity of the NV center contribute further qubits to the quantum processor. The SaxonQ diamond chip is based on patented technology for implantation of nitrogen with a high yield that enables the fabrication of high-fidelity qubits.

The superior computing capability of a quantum computer is based on two quantum mechanical phenomena that are counter-intuitive to our everyday experience. These are superposition and entanglement.

Superposition



A qubit can have two different well-defined states 0 and 1. This is similar to the states of a classical bit that can be found in any current computer. However, the quantum mechanical superposition means that the qubit can also be in a state where it is at the same time 0 and 1; also known as the “Schrödinger’s cat state”. Superposition can be invoked and also cancelled again. Superposition releases the quantum computer from basic binary guardrails and this in turn enables vast compute power.

Entanglement



The second quantum mechanical resource is entanglement. Here, two or more spatially separated qubits are interconnected with each other without direct interaction. Einstein called this non-locality property of quantum mechanics a "spooky interaction at a distance" and did not believe that this phenomenon could be possible. Superposition can be invoked and also cancelled again. Today this effect is well understood and together with superposition provides the key functionality of the SaxonQ quantum computer.

Gate programmable



The SaxonQ quantum computer is freely gate programmable. This means it can execute any code written in high-level quantum programming languages and adapt to any problem solvable via quantum computing. We can execute multi-qubit operations such as Toffoli gates, worth several one- and two-qubit operations (see above), increasing the efficiency of code execution. Currently we support Qiskit and OpenQASM with additional native gate operations available.



References selected from our scientific literature:
S. Pezzagna, J. Meijer, Quantum computer based on color centers in diamond, Appl. Phys. Rev. 8, 011308:1-17 (2021)
T. Lühmann, J. Meijer, S. Pezzagna, Charge-assisted engineering of color centers in diamond, Phys. Stat. Sol. A 218, 2000614:1-17 (2021)
R. Staacke, R. John, M. Kneiß, C. Osterkamp, S. Diziain, F. Jelezko, M. Grundmann, J. Meijer, Method of full polarization control of microwave fields in a scalable transparent structure for spin manipulation, J. Appl. Phys. 128, 194301:1-9 (2020)
R. Staacke, R. John, M. Kneiß, M. Grundmann, J. Meijer, Highly transparent conductors for optical and microwave access to spin based quantum systems, NPJ Quantum Information 5, 98:1-5 (2019)