SmaraQ project will integrate quantum optics on chip for ‘next gen’ computers

12 Nov 2025

Fraunhofer IAF, Qudora Tech, and AMO are co-developing new photonic components for ion-trap quantum computers.

A technology consortium in Germany comprising the companies Qudora Technologies and AMO, and research center Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics (IAF) are collaborating on a research project – called SmaraQ – to develop novel, integrated photonic components for ion-trap quantum computers.

SmaraQ is designed to advance quantum computing toward broader deployment. The aim of the project’s photonic target integration technology is to replace bulky optical systems made of hundreds of separate components with on-chip UV-light waveguides fabricated through lithography, enabling more scalable ion-trap architectures. In addition, the project aims to establish a sustainable supply chain for these devices, to strengthen Germany’s position in the global quantum computing arena.

Named after the Smaragdkolibri (the blue-tailed emerald hummingbird), SmaraQ embodies precision and miniaturization – like the bird itself, which can perceive ultraviolet light and navigate with laser-focused accuracy at the smallest scales. Funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR) through 2028, the project kicked off in September 2025 and will run through 2028.

Ion-trap quantum computers use naturally identical ions as qubits and excel at qubit control and coherence times, especially when utilizing Qudora’s proprietary NFQC technology for quantum gate operations. But as these systems grow larger, it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain precise optical access to each qubit for initialization and laser cooling.

Today, says the IAF announcement, this is achieved using free-space laser beams from large, complex optical systems, which limits both the maximum processor size and the total number of qubits that can be managed. “SmaraQ addresses this challenge by developing ultraviolet (UV) waveguides and photonic components based on aluminum nitride (AlN) and aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) that can be integrated directly onto ion-trap chips,” says IAF.

‘On-chip integration’

“On-chip integration represents the path forward for ion-trap quantum computing,” said Dr. Maik Scheller, Head of Photonics at Qudora. “We are engineering waveguide structures at the nanometer scale, that deliver light with pinpoint precision exactly where our ion qubits demand it.”

The project brings together complementary expertise: Qudora Technologies serves as the coordinator and system integrator, taking responsibility for advancing the technology towards market readiness beyond the project timeline. IAF conducts materials research and produces epitaxial growth of thin-film AlN wafers of world-leading quality, while AMO leverages cutting-edge nanotechnology fabrication capabilities to develop the photonic components on the chips.

The effort aligns with the BMFTR's funding initiative for enabling technologies in quantum research, which aims to strengthen technological sovereignty in critical quantum supply chains while reinforcing Germany's and Europe’s leadership in quantum computing and quantum sensing.