D-Wave Inks Quantum Wafer Pact

The futuristic computer company D-Wave marched a step closer to its goal of commercially viable quantum computing with the announcement of a partnership with Cypress Semiconductor Corporation. Cypress will manufacture quantum computing microprocessors built on D-Wave proprietary technology to run in D-Wave computer systems.

Although the concept of quantum computing has received considerable attention from physicists over the years, the idea of a real computer based around the principles of quantum mechanics was thought to be a generation away--until D-Wave's string of successes with the 128-qubit D-Wave 1 and 512-qubit D-Wave 2 systems. NASA, Google, and USRA recently announced the purchase of a D-Wave 2 system for their Quantum Artificial Intelligence lab, and the Vancouver-based D-Wave announced that it was opening a US office in Palo Alto earlier this year to stir up state-side business.

The agreement with Cypress puts D-Wave in a position to scale up production if they start to get more orders. According to D-Wave co-founder and chief scientist Eric Ladizinsky, "The site change to Cypress will enable D-Wave to continue to scale its technology to meet its objective of delivering quantum processors that radically outperform conventional computing platforms. We selected Cypress as a foundry for their ability to support our unique materials and processing flow, while allowing us to leverage the consistency and yield of a production-scale wafer fab."