Oxford Instruments NanoScience Joins Rigetti’s Novera QPU Partner Program

Insider Brief

• Oxford Instruments NanoScience has joined Rigetti’s Novera QPU Partner Program, providing essential cryogenic systems for maintaining ultra-low temperatures necessary for quantum operations.
• The Novera QPU Partner Program, launched in April 2024, aims to create a collaborative network of quantum computing hardware, software, and service providers to enable high-performing, on-premises quantum computing.
• Oxford Instruments NanoScience’s expertise, particularly with their Proteox dilution refrigerators, will support the development and operation of quantum computers powered by Rigetti’s Novera QPU, furthering advanced quantum research and development.

PRESS RELEASE — Oxford Instruments NanoScience, a leading provider of cryogenic systems, today announces that it has joined the Novera QPU Partner Program. This addition strengthens the program’s ecosystem of quantum computing hardware, software, and service providers who build and offer integral components of functional quantum computing systems.

The Novera QPU Partner Program, launched in April 2024, aims to enable high-performing, on-premises quantum computing by creating a collaborative network of industry leaders. Novera QPU customers can now work with Oxford Instruments NanoScience, alongside other partners, to build quantum computers powered by the Novera QPU that satisfy their system requirements and quantum computing research objectives.

Oxford Instruments NanoScience joins as a cryogenics partner. The company’s expertise in cryogenic systems – including the Proteox family of dilution refrigerators – is crucial for maintaining the ultra-low temperatures required for quantum computing operations. Unique to Proteox is a modular design with removable secondary inserts that can be exchanged between compatible systems. This allows pre-tested modules of computing capability to be deployed quickly and shipped globally, with high confidence as QPUs with higher qubit counts and increased fidelities are developed, future proofing the investment.

Oxford Instruments NanoScience and Rigetti are longstanding technology partners who have worked together on historic breakthroughs in the development of quantum computing. Earlier this year they jointly announced the successful completion of a three year Innovate UK funded project to build and operate one of the first quantum computers in the UK using a ProteoxLX dilution refrigerator.

Dr. Subodh Kulkarni, Rigetti CEO, said: “We welcome our trusted collaborator Oxford Instruments NanoScience to the Novera QPU Partner Program. The team’s world-class expertise in cryogenic systems and the reliability and specifications of their systems will be invaluable to our customers as they build and operate on-premises quantum computing. This partnership further solidifies our commitment to providing a comprehensive ecosystem for advanced quantum research and development.”

Matthew Martin, MD at Oxford Instruments NanoScience, commented: “It’s always a privilege to contribute our cryogenic expertise to support the advancement of quantum computing. We look forward to collaborating with Rigetti and the partner network to deliver systems that allow customers to realise their ambitions. At our factory we have been working to ensure that our ProteoxMX systems are Novera QPU compatible and that customers will have a seamless experience when they choose Oxford Instruments NanoScience.”

The Novera QPU, based on Rigetti’s fourth-generation Ankaa-class architecture, is a 9-qubit quantum processing unit featuring tunable couplers and a square lattice for denser connectivity and fast 2-qubit operations. Manufactured in Rigetti’s Fab-1, the industry’s first dedicated and integrated quantum device manufacturing facility, the Novera QPU is designed for high performance and reliability.