Oxford Instruments and the NYU Nanofabrication Cleanroom announced a landmark partnership to install the first PlasmaPro ASP atomic layer deposition (ALD) system in the United States dedicated to superconducting quantum applications. Funded by the U.S. Microelectronics Commons via the NORDTECH hub, this installation directly supports the “Lab-to-Fab” mission of the CHIPS and Science Act, aiming to bridge fundamental research with scalable microelectronics manufacturing.
The PlasmaPro ASP system is a high-rate plasma processing tool designed for producing superconducting nitrides, which are essential components for quantum computing, sensing, and communications. The system offers deposition rates up to three times faster than conventional alternatives, significantly accelerating the R&D cycle for next-generation quantum hardware.
Pioneering Nitride Superconductors
The collaboration focuses on the development of thin-film nitride superconductors, which offer distinct advantages over the aluminum-based materials commonly used in current quantum platforms. These benefits include:
- Thermal Robustness: Ability to operate at higher temperatures (e.g., above 300 mK).
- Environmental Resilience: Enhanced performance in the presence of magnetic fields and light.
- Material Innovation: Recent research led by NYU and published in Applied Physics Letters identified tantalum carbonitride (TaCxN1−x) as a promising material with low microwave loss and high kinetic inductance.
Supporting the U.S. Quantum Ecosystem
By establishing this capability at NYU Nanofab—Brooklyn’s first academic cleanroom—the partnership provides a critical prototyping resource for the NORDTECH hub. Professor Davood Shahrjerdi, Director of the NYU Nanofab, noted that the facility’s role is to enable new materials and processes that facilitate the integration of quantum platforms with other semiconductor technologies. This effort is expected to reduce the operational costs of superconducting quantum systems and foster a highly skilled workforce for the growing U.S. quantum industry.
You can find the official announcement regarding the Oxford Instruments and NYU Nanofab partnership here. For technical specifications on the PlasmaPro ASP ALD system, visit the product page here.
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