Xanadu Quantum Technologies, the Canadian company betting that photons are the future of quantum computing, just locked in a partnership with ASML, the Dutch giant whose lithography machines are already the backbone of the semiconductor industry. The goal: fix a deceptively simple problem that’s been quietly throttling photonic quantum hardware.
That problem is optical loss caused by line edge roughness, or LER. When lithography tools etch the tiny waveguides that carry photons across a quantum chip, the edges aren’t perfectly smooth. Those microscopic imperfections scatter light, and in quantum computing, scattered light means lost information. For a technology that needs near-perfect photon preservation to function, even nanometer-scale roughness is a dealbreaker.
Why lithography matters for quantum photonics
ASML is best known for building the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems that companies like TSMC and Samsung use to manufacture the world’s most advanced classical chips. This partnership marks ASML’s entry into the quantum photonics space.
The collaboration will focus on developing lithography processes specifically tailored for Xanadu’s photonic quantum hardware. Stan Baron, ASML’s Senior Vice President, pointed to the opportunity to explore next-generation photonics applications and refine manufacturing approaches as the technology matures.
