Photonic chip sets loss record, boosts quantum computing scale

Xanadu and HyperLight have jointly achieved a significant breakthrough in photonic chip technology, crucial for advancing scalable photonic quantum computers. By refining the fabrication process of thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) chips, they reduced waveguide loss to below 2 dB per meter and electro-optic switch loss to just 20 milli-decibels (mdB), setting new industry records for low-loss performance. Importantly, these chips were produced using high-volume semiconductor manufacturing processes, demonstrating readiness for commercial-scale deployment and marking a key milestone in Xanadu’s 2025 hardware roadmap. This advancement addresses a critical challenge in photonic quantum computing, where minimizing optical loss is essential to reduce errors and enable scaling. The low-loss waveguides and switches allow photons to be guided and rerouted with minimal signal degradation, supporting the development of large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers. Building on their previous collaboration in the Aurora project—the world’s first fiber-networked photonic quantum