Xanadu Quantum Technologies and Thorlabs have announced a partnership to develop customized optical fiber components intended to scale photonic quantum computing hardware. The companies say the work targets optical loss, phase stability, polarization stability, and high-volume manufacturability—constraints that can limit large-scale photonic quantum computing deployments and “quantum data center” hardware requirements.
According to the announcement, the collaboration combines Xanadu’s photonic quantum computing hardware expertise with Thorlabs’ optical component manufacturing capabilities to move new component designs from proof-of-concept into high-volume manufacturing for Xanadu’s scalable hardware. The companies frame phase and polarization stability as core technical problems because drift can distort information encoded in photonic qubits and drive computational errors.
Xanadu says meeting stability criteria in “many of the sensitive fiber optics that link together key hardware subsystems,” while also limiting optical loss, can reduce physical-qubit overhead and quantum error correction requirements. It says this improves the scalability of its overall system and supports its plan to develop a “utility-scale photonic quantum computer,” with optical components that can meet high-volume demand.
“We are pleased to work with Thorlabs on addressing this challenge,” said Christian Weedbrook, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Xanadu. “Their deep expertise and ability to manufacture with high precision, at a high volume, and at a competitive cost makes them an invaluable partner,”
Separately, Xanadu notes it has recently announced a business combination agreement with Crane Harbor Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company. The combined company, to be named Xanadu Quantum Technologies Limited, is expected to be capitalized with approximately US$500 million in gross proceeds, comprising approximately US$225 million from Crane Harbor’s trust account (assuming no redemptions) and US$275 million from a committed private placement investment. The combined company is expected to be listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market and the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Source: Xanadu
