WD Advanced Materials, LLC (WDAM), a material science company and large-scale manufacturer of lab-grown diamond substrates and thin films, has joined the Chicago Quantum Exchange as a corporate partner.
Diamond is used in quantum sensors and computers because its imperfections can be manipulated to make stable qubits — the building blocks of quantum technologies — that don’t require cooling. Called nitrogen-vacancy (NV-) centers, these impurities are tiny areas in which two side-by-side carbon atoms have been replaced with a nitrogen atom and an empty spot capable of capturing an electron, which scientists then control to create the qubit. Although these imperfections can occur naturally, in synthetic diamonds, they can be implanted and manufactured to fit the precise needs of the quantum device.
WDAM uses a process called Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) to create scientific-grade diamond material with precise specifications. As a corporate partner, WDAM aims to work with CQE researchers to characterize, test, and validate specific material use cases as they further expand their global distribution of diamond solutions for next-generation electronic and quantum applications.
“Bringing materials manufacturers together with quantum scientists is an essential part of identifying use cases, creating supply relationships, and efficiently commercializing quantum technologies,” said David Awschalom, the Liew Family Professor in Molecular Engineering and Physics at the University of Chicago and the director of the Chicago Quantum Exchange. “We look forward to productive collaborations with WD Advanced Materials that put us closer to developing quantum innovations that can help solve global challenges.”
WDAM also partners with defense contractors, academic institutions, and commercial entities worldwide, and is a participant in DARPA, US Department of Energy, and other U.S. government programs.
“At this pivotal time in quantum innovation, fostering a collaborative ecosystem is essential,” said Chief Technology Officer John Ciraldo. “At WDAM, we are committed to advancing our breakthrough work in high-quality diamond synthesis, and we believe our partnerships across the CQE will play a crucial role in accelerating the realization of transformative quantum technologies.”
The CQE is based at the University of Chicago and is anchored by the US Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Northwestern University, and Purdue University. The CQE also includes more than 50 corporate, international, nonprofit, and regional partners.