IIT Bombay and TCS collaborate on India's first quantum diamond microchip imager
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In a significant step towards advancing quantum technology, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay announced a strategic partnership with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) on Tuesday.
Together, they will develop India's first Quantum Diamond microchip imager, a cutting-edge sensing tool designed to enhance the quality testing of semiconductor chips.
This innovative sensing tool will be developed at IIT Bombay's PQuest Lab by a team of experts from TCS over the next two years. The Quantum Diamond microchip imager aims to significantly reduce the likelihood of chip failures, thereby improving the efficiency and reliability of electronic devices. It will enable superior quality control of semiconductor chips, leading to enhanced product safety and energy efficiency.
Dr. Kasturi Saha, Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at IIT Bombay, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration. "PQuest group at IIT Bombay is excited to collaborate with TCS on developing a quantum imaging platform for the nondestructive examination of chips, leveraging our extensive expertise in quantum sensing to drive innovation. By working together, we aim to transform various sectors, including electronics and healthcare, and propel India forward through groundbreaking technologies and products," she said.
The partnership aligns with the National Quantum Mission, an initiative by the Indian government aimed at establishing the nation as a global leader in quantum technology. An indigenous Quantum Diamond microchip imager, which integrates quantum diamond microscopy with AI/ML-powered software imaging, will position India at the forefront of the quantum revolution.
Harrick Vin, Chief Technology Officer at TCS, highlighted the importance of this collaboration. "The Second Quantum revolution is progressing at an unprecedented speed, making it imperative to pool our resources and expertise to build cutting-edge capabilities in sensing, computing, and communication technologies," he stated.
As semiconductor devices continue to decrease in size, traditional sensing methods fall short in detecting anomalies with the necessary precision. The Quantum Diamond microchip imager addresses this gap by utilizing defects in a diamond's structure, known as Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) centers, alongside sophisticated hardware and software for detecting and characterizing anomalies in semiconductor chips.
This technology will have wide-ranging applications, including microelectronics, biological and geological imaging, and fine-scale imaging of magnetic fields, among others.