Insider Brief:
- QuantumDiamonds GmbH has launched the QD m.0, the first commercial quantum device designed specifically for semiconductor chip failure analysis, using diamond-based quantum microscopy to detect and localize faults in integrated circuits with high precision.
- The QD m.0 addresses challenges in modern semiconductor fabrication, particularly with heterogeneous integration, by extracting electrical current information across multiple layers, improving yields and accelerating production ramp-up in advanced chips.
- Partnerships with industry leaders like Fraunhofer and imec further solidify QuantumDiamonds’ role in advancing quantum sensing technology, with the first batch of QD m.0 units scheduled for delivery by Q4 2024.
QuantumDiamonds GmbH, a pioneer in quantum sensing technology, announced the release of the QD m.0, the first commercial quantum device designed for semiconductor chip failure analysis. This advanced system utilizes diamond-based quantum microscopy to deliver unprecedented precision in detecting and localizing faults in integrated circuits, meeting the increasing testing demands for heterogeneous integration in modern semiconductor fabrication. Its ability to extract electrical current information across multiple layers addresses challenges in today’s 2.5D/3D packaging and chiplet-based architectures.
The innovative device was revealed during the launch event last Thursday, which kicked off with an inspiring speech by Bavaria’s Minister of Digital Affairs, Dr. Fabian Mehring, followed by an engaging presentation from our CEO, Kevin Berghoff, and CTO, Fleming Bruckmaier, who shared QuantumDiamonds’ journey over the past two years, unveiled the first quantum sensing device for the semiconductor industry and talked about future plans.
The event continued with a lively panel discussion moderated by Bartu Bisgin, our founder’s associate. Our panelists Dr. Philipp Gerbert (CEO, TUM Venture Labs), Benediks Klaes (Investment Manager, ZEISS), Axel Fischer (Former VP and GM, Samsung Semi Europe), and Dr. Inga vom Holtz (Investment Director, UnternehmerTUM) shared their insights on Europe’s strategic role in the semiconductor industry, its need for digital sovereignty in the AI era and QuantumDiamonds’ role in contributing towards this goal.
With the advent of heterogeneous integration which includes die-stacking, decreased pitch sizes, through-silicon vias and interposers, hybrid bonding, local interconnect bridges and advanced packaging, failures in manufacturing is becoming ever-hard to detect and analyze. The inability to understand such failures result in lower yields overall, which costs chip designers and manufacturers millions of dollars worth of resources. The QD m.0 is an invaluable tool for the semiconductor industry due to its ability to address the testing challenges that are currently faced for advanced chips. By localizing hard-to-detect failures in heterogenously integrated chips, QuantumDiamonds’ technology can boost production yields and accelerate ramp up, allowing the continued growth of advanced semiconductors.
“Our focus is on empowering semiconductor manufacturers to meet the growing demands of advanced applications,” said Kevin Berghoff, CEO and co-founder of QuantumDiamonds. “The QD m.0 offers the precision needed to overcome the increasing complexity of modern chip designs, particularly in the AI era.”
“The QD m.0 combines not only our extensive work in developing the highest quality synthetic diamonds for quantum sensing, optimizing complex optics and electronics, but also progress in advanced software development.” says Fleming Bruckmaier, CTO and co-founder of QuantumDiamonds. “To make this technology commercially viable, we had to significantly reduce the measurement time through optimizing the sampling process and enabling immediate analysis with custom ML models, as well as ensuring robust operation through an accessible, easy-to-use interface.”
With strong partnerships established with key industry players like Fraunhofer and imec, QuantumDiamonds is bringing quantum technologies to market with a real advantage. Since its founding in 2022 as a spin-off from the Technical University of Munich, the company has emerged as a pivotal force in Europe’s quantum ecosystem.
The initial batch of QD m.0 units is scheduled to ship by Q4 2024, with the first production run already fully allocated.
