IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,550,761
Granted Patent B2
US 12,550,761 · App. 18/149,296 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Highway jumper to enable long range connectivity for superconducting quantum computer chip

Inventors: Donbing Shao (Wappingers Falls, NY); Markus Brink (White Plains, NY); Martin O. Sandberg (Ossining, NY); Vivekananda P. Adiga (Ossining, NY)
Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
H01L23/49838G06N10/40H01L23/645H10N69/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,550,761
App. No.
18/149,296
Granted
Feb 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a quantum processor includes a qubit chip. The qubit chip includes a substrate, and a plurality of qubits formed on a first surface of the substrate. The plurality of qubits are arranged in a pattern, wherein nearest-neighbor qubits in the pattern are connected. The quantum processor also includes a long-range connector configured to connect a first qubit of the plurality of qubits to a second qubit of the plurality of qubits, wherein the first and second qubits are separated by at least a third qubit in the pattern.

Claims (64)

1 . A quantum processor, comprising:

a qubit chip, the qubit chip comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of qubits formed on a first surface of the substrate, wherein the plurality of qubits comprises a first qubit and a second qubit; and

a portion of a connector provided at a plurality of locations on a second surface of the substrate and having ends respectively aligned with the first qubit and the second qubit, wherein a first one of the ends of the connector couples to the first qubit located on the first surface of the substrate and wherein a second one of the ends of the connector couples to the second qubit located on the first surface of the substrate, wherein the first surface is on a first side of the substrate and the second surface is on a second side of the substrate, and wherein the second side is opposite the first side.

2 . The quantum processor according to claim 1 , wherein the connector reduces a number of swap gates required for performing two-qubit operations on non-nearest neighbor qubits.

3 . The quantum processor according to claim 1 , wherein the portion of the connector comprises:

a first coupling pad arranged to align with the first qubit;

a second coupling pad arranged to align with the second qubit; and

a bus connecting the first coupling pads to the second coupling pad, wherein, in operation, the first coupling pad capacitively couples to the first qubit and the second coupling pad capacitively couples to the second qubit.

4 . The quantum processor according to claim 1 , wherein the portion of the connector comprises:

a first coupling coil arranged to align with the first qubit;

a second coupling coil arranged to align with the second qubit; and

a bus connecting the first coupling coil to the second coupling coil,

wherein, in operation, the first coupling coil inductively couples to the first qubit and the second coupling coil inductively couples to the second qubit.

5 . The quantum processor according to claim 1 , wherein the portion of the connector comprises:

a coupling pad arranged to align with the first qubit;

a coupling coil arranged to align with the second qubit; and

a bus connecting the coupling pad to the coupling coil, wherein, in operation, the coupling pad capacitively couples to the first qubit and the coupling coil inductively couples to the second qubit.

6 . The quantum processor according to claim 1 , wherein the portion of the connector is the first portion, the quantum processor further comprising a second portion of the connector, the second portion adjoined to the first portion,

wherein the first portion of the connector is disposed on the second surface of the substrate of the qubit chip,

wherein the second portion of the connector is disposed on the first surface, the second surface opposing the first surface, and

wherein the qubit chip comprises a through via connecting the first portion to the second portion.

7 . A method to enable connectivity of qubits on a qubit chip, comprising:

forming on a first surface of a substrate of the qubit chip, a plurality of qubits arranged in a pattern;

coupling a first qubit of the plurality of qubits to a second qubit of the plurality of qubits with a connector; and

disposing at least a portion of the connector at a plurality of locations on a second surface different from the first surface, wherein the first surface on the substrate is opposite the second surface on the substrate.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , further comprising forming the connector on the qubit chip.

9 . The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:

providing an interposer chip, the interposer chip comprising:

a substrate;

a first coupling portion formed on the substrate, the first coupling portion positioned to align with the first qubit on the qubit chip;

a second coupling portion formed on the substrate, the second coupling portion positioned to align with the second qubit on the qubit chip; and

a bus formed on the substrate, the bus connecting the first coupling portion to the second coupling portion; and bonding the interposer chip to the qubit chip such that the first coupling portion couples to the first qubit and the second coupling portion couples to the second qubit.

10 . A quantum processor, comprising:

a qubit chip, the qubit chip comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of qubits formed on a first surface of the substrate, wherein the plurality of qubits comprises a first qubit and a second qubit; and

a connector; and

an interposer chip,

wherein a first portion of the connector is formed on the first surface of the substrate of the qubit chip and wherein the first portion of the connector is formed adjacent the first qubit and the second qubit on the first surface of the substrate,

wherein a second portion of the connector is formed on a second surface, the second surface being a surface of the interposer chip and being distinct from the first surface, and

wherein, in operation, the qubit chip is bonded to the interposer chip such that the first portion of the connector is bonded to the second portion of the connector.

11 . The quantum processor according to claim 10 , wherein the interposer chip further comprises a plurality of readout resonators configured to couple to the plurality of qubits formed on the first surface of the substrate of the qubit chip.

12 . The quantum processor according to claim 10 , further comprising the interposer chip, wherein the connector is formed on the interposer chip, the connector comprising:

a first coupling pad arranged to align with the first qubit;

a second coupling pad arranged to align with the second qubit; and

a bus connecting the first coupling pad to the second coupling pad,

wherein, in operation, the qubit chip is bonded to the interposer chip such that the first coupling pad capacitively couples to the first qubit and the second coupling pad capacitively couples to the second qubit.

13 . The quantum processor according to claim 12 , wherein the interposer chip further comprises a plurality of readout resonators configured to couple to the plurality of qubits formed on the first surface of the substrate of the qubit chip.

14 . The quantum processor according to claim 10 , further comprising the interposer chip, wherein the connector is formed on the interposer chip, the connector comprising:

a first coupling coil arranged to align with the first qubit;

a second coupling coil arranged to align with the second qubit; and

a bus connecting the first coupling coil to the second coupling coil,

wherein, in operation, the qubit chip is bonded to the interposer chip such that the first coupling coil inductively couples to the first qubit and the second coupling coil inductively couples to the second qubit.

15 . The quantum processor according to claim 10 , further comprising the interposer chip, wherein the connector is formed on the interposer chip, the connector comprising:

a coupling pad arranged to align with the first qubit;

a coupling coil arranged to align with the second qubit; and

a bus connecting the coupling pad to the coupling coil,

wherein, in operation, the qubit chip is bonded to the interposer chip such that the coupling pad capacitively couples to the first qubit and the coupling coil inductively couples to the second qubit.

16 . The quantum processor according to claim 10 , wherein the first qubit and the

second qubit are located on a perimeter of the pattern.

17 . The quantum processor according to claim 10 , wherein the first qubit and the

second qubit are separated by at least three qubits in the pattern.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 3, 2023
From: SHAO, DONBING; BRINK, MARKUS; SANDBERG, MARTIN O.; ADIGA, VIVEKANANDA P.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062259/0332 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 16711064 · Dec 11, 2019
Related Publication 20240005186A1 · Jan 4, 2024
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