Quantum Computing Inc. (NASDAQ: QUBT) has achieved a major technical milestone that could make large scale quantum computers far more practical to build.
The company announced on Tuesday that a successful demonstration of scalable, on chip cryogenic control for gate model quantum computers. The approach sharply reduces the amount of wiring needed to control many qubits without harming performance.
Consequently, the advance removes one of the biggest physical barriers to building useful gate model systems. Gate model quantum computers rely on precise control signals delivered at extremely cold temperatures. Without on chip control, engineers must route thousands of wires into cryogenic chambers.
However, that wiring creates heat, complexity, and prohibitive size constraints.
D-Wave adapted control technology originally developed for its commercial annealing quantum processors. In those systems, multiplexed digital to analog converters manage tens of thousands of qubits using about 200 wires. Additionally, the company showed the same concept can work for gate model architectures.
The demonstration integrated control electronics directly onto the quantum hardware. As a result, the system maintained qubit fidelity while reducing external wiring demands. Furthermore, the design supports scaling to much larger numbers of qubits.
D-Wave built a multichip package combining a high coherence fluxonium qubit chip with a layered control chip. The company used superconducting bump bonding and advanced cryogenic packaging methods. Additionally, key components were fabricated using specialized processes at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed by California Institute of Technology.
Executives said practical gate model machines become unrealistic without integrated control and multiplexing. They explained that massive wiring demands would otherwise force unworkably large cryogenic enclosures. Consequently, on chip control becomes essential for commercial viability.
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D-Wave has two decades of quantum computing experience
D-Wave relies on superconducting technology rooted in established micro-circuit manufacturing.
That foundation enables faster scaling and lower costs using existing supply chains. Meanwhile, superconducting qubits can perform logic gates far faster than trapped ions or photonic systems.
“Scalability is fundamental to the growth and increasing adoption of this technology, and controlling more qubits with less wiring enables us to build larger processors with a smaller footprint,” said Dr. Trevor Lanting, chief development officer at D-Wave.
The company has worked in superconducting quantum computing for more than two decades. In addition, more than 60 per cent of its patent portfolio spans both annealing and gate model designs.
That breadth positions D-Wave to pursue multiple quantum computing paths simultaneously.
Industry observers view the development as a step toward practical, large scale quantum machines.
Several market research firms have attempted to size the commercial opportunity, starting with a conservative outlook from Grand View Research.
The marketing firm estimates the global quantum computing market was valued at about USD$1.4 billion in 2024 and could reach roughly USD$4.2 billion by 2030. The firm projects a compound annual growth rate of around 20.5 per cent, driven by enterprise and government demand.
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