Researchers at NYU Tandon School of Engineering have introduced a fabrication method that enhances the reliability and scalability of quantum hardware. This approach utilizes low energy ion beam etching (IBE) to pattern superconducting materials, such as niobium, into precise structures suitable for quantum devices.
The NYU Tandon team, led by Professor Davood Shahrjerdi, demonstrated that IBE can effectively pattern niobium films into superconducting resonators. These resonators were fabricated in the NYU Nanofabrication Cleanroom and tested at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). The resulting devices exhibited performance comparable to those made with conventional methods, indicating the viability of IBE for fabricating high-quality quantum components.
Professor Davood Shahrjerdi from NYU Tandon stated,
“Realizing this promise requires components that can preserve fragile quantum states long enough to perform complex calculations,” said Shahrjerdi. “That means building ever more perfect hardware to reduce errors and improve the fault tolerance of quantum systems.”
Manzo-Perez, M., Jamalzadeh, M., Nguyen, M., Nadeau, C., Madden, A., Shiravand, I., Kisslinger, K., Tong, X., Sardashti, K., Senatore, M., LaHaye, M., & Shahrjerdi, D. (2025). Physical patterning of high-Q superconducting niobium resonators via ion beam etching. Applied Physics Letters, 127(9). https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0278956
Traditionally, patterning superconducting materials into functional quantum devices has been challenging due to the limitations of conventional chemical etching methods. These methods often struggle with materials like transition metal nitrides and silicides, which are promising for quantum applications but difficult to process using standard techniques.
Quantum computers require components that can maintain fragile quantum states long enough to perform complex calculations. The ability to fabricate superconducting devices with precision is crucial for reducing errors and improving the fault tolerance of quantum systems.
By expanding the range of materials that can be effectively patterned, this new fabrication technique opens the door to exploring and utilizing a broader spectrum of superconducting materials. This advancement could lead to the development of more reliable and scalable quantum processors, accelerating progress in quantum computing technologies.
The successful application of IBE to niobium sets the stage for further exploration of other superconducting materials that were previously challenging to process. Future research will focus on optimizing the IBE process for different materials and integrating these techniques into the fabrication of more complex quantum devices.
As quantum computing continues to evolve, innovations in fabrication techniques like IBE are essential for overcoming existing limitations and achieving the performance required for practical quantum applications.
Adrian graduated with a Masters Degree (1st Class Honours) in Chemical Engineering from Chester University along with Harris. His master’s research aimed to develop a standardadised clean water oxygenation transfer procedure to test bubble diffusers that are currently used in the wastewater industry commercial market. He has also undergone placments in both US and China primarely focused within the R&D department and is an associate member of the Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE).
