Xanadu, a Canadian quantum computing company, and DISCO Corporation, a Japan-based precision machine and processing tool manufacturer, have announced a collaboration on advanced wafer processing techniques for ultra-low loss photonic integrated chips. The partnership focuses on enhancing wafer dicing, specialized wafer preparation for heterogeneous integration and assembly, and achieving ultra-smooth surfaces through polishing optimization. These capabilities are intended to enhance the scalability of photonic chip packaging for quantum and other photonic applications.
The collaboration leverages DISCO’s Kiru (cutting), Kezuru (grinding), and Migaku (polishing) technologies. High-quality wafer dicing with DISCO’s machinery is intended to reduce optical losses and streamline the manufacturing process by eliminating the need for manual polishing. This is aimed at facilitating scaling to high-volume photonic packaging. The processes are designed to meet the requirements of photonic chip performance.
This collaboration is positioned as a step toward the realization of utility-scale photonic quantum computers by reducing optical losses throughout the photonic components. Christian Weedbrook, CEO of Xanadu, commented that the collaboration has helped advance photonic packaging capabilities. Steve Latina, Technical Solution Lead at DISCO USA, noted that the partnership challenges partners to achieve precise and intelligent manufacturing, supporting a growing market demand for advanced fabrication.
Read the full announcement here.
August 13, 2025
