US-12625530-B2 - Fully integrated quantum computer

US12625530B2US 12625530 B2US12625530 B2US 12625530B2US-12625530-B2

Abstract

There is described herein a quantum computer and a structure for housing a quantum computer. The quantum computer comprises an outer frame defining an outer periphery that surrounds an interior volume, the outer frame having a top end, a bottom end, and a plurality of sides extending between the top end and the bottom end. A plurality of sub-frames are mounted to the outer frame within the outer periphery, the sub-frames disposed within the interior volume. Quantum hardware is mounted to the sub-frames, each of the sub-frames having a subset of the quantum hardware mounted thereto, the quantum hardware comprising cryostat components, gas handling components, control electronics components and servicing components.

Inventors

Umut FIDAN
Alireza NAJAFI-YAZDI
Justin Huneault
Ramak Radmard

Assignees

ANYON SYSTEMS INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230307

Claims (20)

1 . A quantum computer comprising: an outer frame defining an outer periphery that surrounds an interior volume, the outer frame having a top end, a bottom end, and a plurality of sides extending between the top end and the bottom end; a plurality of sub-frames mounted to the outer frame within the outer periphery, the sub-frames disposed within the interior volume; and quantum hardware mounted to the sub-frames, each of the sub-frames having a subset of the quantum hardware mounted thereto, the quantum hardware comprising cryostat components, gas handling components, control electronics components and servicing components.
2 . The quantum computer of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sub-frames is displaceable relative to the outer frame.
3 . The quantum computer of claim 2 , wherein the at least one of the sub-frames is displaceable between an outer position and an inner position, wherein the at least one of the sub-frames is disposed within the outer periphery of the outer frame in the inner position and the at least one of the sub-frames at least partially extends beyond the outer periphery in the outer position.
4 . The quantum computer of claim 3 , wherein the at least one of the sub-frames is slidably mounted to the outer frame on rails.
5 . The quantum computer of claim 1 , wherein four of the sub-frames are mounted to the outer frame, each of the four sub-frames disposed within a quadrant of the outer frame.
6 . The quantum computer of claim 5 , wherein two of the four sub-frames are slidable into and out of the outer frame through a first one of the plurality of sides, and two others of the four sub-frames are slidable into and out of the outer frame through a second one of the plurality of sides opposite the first one of the plurality of sides.
7 . The quantum computer of claim 1 , wherein the subset of the quantum hardware in each of the sub-frames has a common functionality.
8 . The quantum computer of claim 7 , wherein the cryostat components are mounted in a first one of the sub-frames, the gas handling components are mounted in a second one of the sub-frames, the control electronics components are mounted in a third one of the sub-frames, and the servicing components are mounted in a fourth one of the sub-frames.
9 . The quantum computer of claim 1 , further comprising panels covering the sides of the outer frame, the panels at least partially enclosing the sub-frames.
10 . The quantum computer of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface mounted to the outer frame.
11 . The quantum computer of claim 1 , further comprising quantum hardware mounts inside the sub-frames, the quantum hardware mounts configured for receiving and supporting the quantum hardware within the sub-frames.
12 . A structure for housing a quantum computer, comprising: an outer frame composed of a plurality of first supporting members forming an outer supporting structure that is at least partially open, the outer supporting structure having a first top end, a first bottom end opposite to the first top end, and first sides extending between the first top end and the first bottom end, the outer supporting structure defining first side openings in the first sides; a plurality of sub-frames disposed inside the outer frame, each of the sub-frames composed of a plurality of second supporting members forming an inner supporting structure that is at least partially open, the inner supporting structure having a second top end, a second bottom end opposite to the second top end, and second sides extending between the second top end and the second bottom end, the inner supporting structure defining second side openings in the second sides; and quantum hardware mounts inside the sub-frames, the quantum hardware mounts configured for receiving and supporting quantum hardware for the quantum computer inside the sub-frames.
13 . The structure of claim 12 , wherein the quantum hardware mounts comprise at least one panel extending between two supporting members of a given one of the sub-frames.
14 . The structure of claim 13 , wherein the at least one panel is oriented parallel to the second top end and the second bottom end of the given one of the sub-frames.
15 . The structure of claim 14 , wherein the at least one panel lies in a same plane as the second top end of the given one of the sub-frames, and is configured to suspend the quantum hardware inside the given one of the sub-frame.
16 . The structure of claim 13 , wherein the at least one panel lies in a same plane as one of the second sides of the given one of the sub-frames.
17 . The structure of claim 12 , wherein each of the sub-frames is customized with the quantum hardware mounts according to a dedicated function of a subset of the quantum hardware to be received within a given one of the sub-frames.
18 . The structure of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the sub-frames is displaceable relative to the outer frame, the at least one of the sub-frames is displaceable between an outer position and an inner position thereof, wherein the at least one of the sub-frames is disposed within an outer periphery of the outer frame in the inner position and the at least one of the sub-frames at least partially extends beyond the outer periphery in the outer position.
19 . The structure of claim 12 , wherein two of the sub-frames are slidably mounted to the outer frame to slide in and out of the outer frame through a first one of the first sides, and wherein two other ones of the sub-frames are slidably mounted to the outer frame to slide in and out of the outer frame through a second one of the first side opposite the first one of the first sides.
20 . The structure of claim 12 , wherein the quantum hardware mounts comprise cryostat component mounts, gas handling component mounts, control electronics component mounts, and servicing component mounts, and wherein the cryostat component mounts are mounted in a first one of the sub-frames, the gas handling component mounts are in a second one of the sub-frames, the control electronics component mounts are in a third one of the sub-frames, and the servicing component mounts are in a fourth one of the sub-frames.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/317,493 filed on Mar. 7, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to the field of quantum computers and in particular, to housing structures for integrated quantum computers. BACKGROUND Quantum computers are machines that harness the properties of quantum states, such as superposition, interference, and entanglement, to perform computations. In a quantum computer, the basic unit of memory is a quantum bit, or qubit. Superconducting qubits are one of the most promising candidates for developing commercial quantum computers. Indeed, superconducting qubits can be fabricated using standard microfabrication techniques. Moreover, they operate in the few GHz bandwidth such that conventional microwave electronic technologies can be used to control qubits and readout the quantum states. However, superconducting qubits need to operate at temperatures close to absolute zero. This requires cryogenic refrigeration systems with multiple stages of cooling. A quantum computer with enough qubits has a computational power inaccessible to a classical computer, which is referred to as “quantum advantage”. Indeed, computational power increases with the number of qubits. While the quality of qubits has been an important technical challenge to the advancement of quantum computing, there are also many physical challenges associated with building a large-scale quantum computer. The control of multi-qubit systems requires the generation and coordination of a large number of electrical signals, with lots of cabling, a large cooling system, and many other components. SUMMARY In accordance with a first broad aspect, there is provided a quantum computer. The quantum computer comprises an outer frame defining an outer periphery that surrounds an interior volume, the outer frame having a top end, a bottom end, and a plurality of sides extending between the top end and the bottom end. A plurality of sub-frames are mounted to the outer frame within the outer periphery, the sub-frames disposed within the interior volume. Quantum hardware is mounted to the sub-frames, each of the sub-frames having a subset of the quantum hardware mounted thereto, the quantum hardware comprising cryostat components, gas handling components, control electronics components and servicing components. The quantum computer as defined above and described herein may further include one or more of the following additional features, in whole or in part, in any combination. In some embodiments, at least one of the sub-frames is displaceable relative to the outer frame. In some embodiments, the at least one of the sub-frames is displaceable between an outer position and an inner position, wherein the at least one of the sub-frames is dis-posed within the outer periphery of the outer frame in the inner position and the at least one of the sub-frames at least partially extends beyond the outer periphery in the outer position. In some embodiments, the at least one of the sub-frames is slidably mounted to the outer frame on rails. In some embodiments, four of the sub-frames are mounted to the outer frame, each of the four sub-frames disposed within a quadrant of the outer frame. In some embodiments, two of the four sub-frames are slidable into and out of the outer frame through a first one of the plurality of sides, and two others of the four sub-frames are slidable into and out of the outer frame through a second one of the plurality of sides opposite the first one of the plurality of sides. In some embodiments, the subset of the quantum hard-ware in each of the sub-frames has a common functionality. In some embodiments, the cryostat components are mounted in a first one of the subframes, the gas handling components are mounted in a second one of the sub-frames, the control electronics components are mounted in a third one of the sub-frames, and the servicing components are mounted in a fourth one of the sub-frames. In some embodiments, the quantum computer further comprises panels covering the sides of the outer frame, the panels at least partially enclosing the sub-frames. In some embodiments, the quantum computer further comprises a user interface mounted to the outer frame. In some embodiments, the quantum computer further comprises quantum hardware mounts inside the sub-frames, the quantum hardware mounts configured for receiving and supporting the quantum hardware within the sub-frames. In accordance with another broad aspect, there is provided a structure for housing a quantum computer. The structure comprises an outer frame composed of a plurality of first supporting members forming an outer sup-porting structure that is at least partially open, the outer supporting structure having a first top end, a first bottom end opposite to the first to