The IBM Approach to Cryogenic CMOS in Quantum Computer Scaling: Building CMOS Circuits for the Coldest Machines in the Universe

Quantum computers have the potential to solve problems that have are intractable using classical computers. IBM is one of several institutions pursuing quantum computing, and believes its fleet of quantum computers is on the cusp of delivering quantum advantage. That means they will be able to perform certain information-processing tasks more efficiently, cost-effectively, or accurately than is known to be possible with classical computers alone. These quantum computers rely on superconducting qubits that operate at cryogenic temperatures. One significant challenge in engineering quantum computers is designing the electronics necessary to control and readout information from quantum circuits. Currently, those devices operate outside of the cryostats that house the quantum chips, which presents wiring and noise intrusion problems. We have shown that it is, in principle, possible to design cryogenic CMOS ICs that operate within the cryostat using normal fabrication processes.