Quantum information company Infleqtion acquires SiNoptiq and Morton Photonics
The quantum information company Infleqtion has announced that it has acquired two integrated silicon photonics companies: SiNoptiq and Morton Photonics. The company hopes these acquisitions will enable it to expedite plans for chip-scale integration of lasers and photonic and atomic systems. This integration is essential for commercialising quantum products, such as sensors and quantum computers, as well as bolstering the overall quantum supply chain and enabling quantum manufacturing at scale.
“Getting quantum technologies out of labs and into the hands of customers requires a heavy focus on scale, both in manufacturing and across the entire supply chain,” said Scott Faris, CEO of Infleqtion. “These acquisitions enhance our ability to deliver high-value quantum solutions with the scale and resiliency required by critical sectors like defence and for business-critical enterprise deployments. It’s another great example of how Infleqtion is leading the industry towards commercialisation of quantum solutions.”
The supply chain for quantum technologies has historically been limited by a small number of suppliers and a lack of commercial manufacturing capabilities, especially in the United States. With its acquisition and ongoing investments in SiNoptiq and Morton Photonics – which both produce essential quantum components – Infleqtion intends to accelerate the transition of these required photonic and laser technologies from R&D into commercial production at scale.
SiNoptiq specialises in delivering photonics performance with its ultra-low loss silicon nitride platform. Silicon nitride is a critical foundational platform for quantum applications, enabling high-performance photonic lasers and the application of photonics to quantum solutions from the visible to the mid-infrared.
Under terms of the agreement, SiNoptiq president and CEO Dan Blumenthal will join Infleqtion as chief photonics architect. He will also continue his role as distinguished professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of the Terabit Optical Ethernet Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara, specialising in ultra-low loss photonic integration and integration of atomic, quantum, and optical communications systems.
“Together, we will push the commercial boundaries of what is achievable in advancing high-performance lasers and photonics integration, cementing Infleqtion’s position at the forefront of quantum innovation and commercialisation,” said Blumenthal.
Morton Photonics develops advanced silicon photonics-based component and sub-system technologies that enable microwave photonics and sensing systems and applications of these technologies in government and commercial systems. The company also develops ultra-low noise semiconductor lasers, from commercially available discrete lasers to fully integrated silicon photonics versions on multiple fabrication platforms, currently being optimised for operation at quantum wavelengths.
Morton Photonics CEO Paul Morton, a fellow of the IEEE and Optica, will join Infleqtion as vice president of photonics and general manager of the newly established Infleqtion Santa Barbara Research Center. Morton has broad industrial experience in both research and product development, having worked on photonic technologies at both AT&T Bell Laboratories and Ciena Corporation.
“Infleqtion’s vision and dedication to quantum-enabled solutions strongly resonates with Morton Photonics’ mission,” commented Morton. “By joining forces with the Infleqtion team, we will drive dual-use photonic innovations and scale our impact, paving the way for synergistic breakthroughs in defence and transformative technologies like quantum radio frequency (RF) and RF photonics as well as delivering tangible value to markets such as automotive LiDAR and 5G networks.”
