Electronic Control Systems for Ion Trap Quantum Computers
Grzegorz H. Kasprowicz
Ion trap quantum computers are complex optoelectronic systems that require several electronic subsystems orchestrated to sub-1ns precision, both low-noise and high speed. WUT developed a modular control system in EEM/DIOT form factor called SINARA (Standardised Instrumentation Architecture for Research Applications) [1]. SINARA became the de facto standard in atomic and Molecular laboratories worldwide; a few leading quantum computer manufacturers also use it. Its success, which can be attributed to the open-source, open-hardware licensing model, has significantly advanced the field of quantum computing by providing a reliable and adaptable control system. SINARA was primarily developed for lab applications but recently has been transformed into an industrial form factor (DIOT [5]) because many lab projects have turned into spin-offs and startups.The scaling of quantum computers creates several technological issues. Most topologies are enclosed in a vacuum and use cryogenic temperatures. Future quantum computer architectures need to implement electronic control systems capable of steering hundreds of thousands of electrodes with high precision and relatively high voltage of a few dozen V. Within the framework of the Quantera SIQCI [3] project, a collaborative effort aimed at advancing the field of quantum computing, we are building a demonstrator of such a scalable control system. An essential step of the design process is characterising a standard 180nm high voltage process at temperatures below 10 K. The next step is updating the process PDK and designing the test structures using updated models. This paper presents the requirements for such a control system, the first results of the measurements and the design methodology.Furthermore, this talk will unveil the first coherent operations results performed on ions trapped in the WUT labs using the SINARA system, marking a significant milestone in our system’s practical applications.
International Conference Mixed Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems•Jun 26, 2025•0 citations