Quantum computers promise to revolutionise computing by solving problems far beyond the reach of today’s machines. Among the many approaches being pursued, spin qubits—tiny quantum bits made from single electrons in silicon—stand out for their potential to integrate with existing semiconductor manufacturing. However, it remains unclear which CMOS technology nodes (the industrial standards used to make computer chips) are best suited for high-performance qubits [1]. This PhD project will tackle that challenge directly.
The goal is to develop a rapid prototyping platform to identify which standard CMOS processes are most compatible with scalable spin qubits. The project will help determine whether future quantum processors can be built using the same manufacturing tools used for classical microchips, enabling faster, cheaper, and more reliable production of quantum hardware.
While laboratory demonstrations of spin qubits have achieved impressive results [2], these devices are often made in research cleanrooms rather than in industrial foundries. Each fabrication process—known as a technology node—differs in materials, layer thicknesses, and microscopic disorder, all of which can strongly affect qubit behaviour. Yet there has never been a systematic comparison across the available CMOS nodes. This project will fill that gap, creating a database that reveals which features of CMOS technology help or hinder qubit performance.
You will work as part of a multidisciplinary team (the SEQUEL Lab) spanning quantum physics, electronics, and materials science. The research combines experiment, simulation, and data science in four main areas:
- Cryo-electronics and multiplexing – You will help design circuits that allow multiple qubit devices to be measured in a single experiment at cryogenic temperatures, drastically increasing the rate of data collection [3].
- Machine learning for automation – You will develop or apply algorithms that analyse qubit data in real time, identifying optimal settings and speeding up device testing [4].
- High-speed qubit readout – You will contribute to the design and testing of superconducting resonators that enable fast and sensitive readout of qubit signals, compatible with CMOS fabrication.
- Device simulation – Using advanced quantum and electrostatic modelling tools (e.g., QTCAD), you will predict how device geometry and materials influence performance, helping guide experimental priorities.