D-Wave Demonstrates First Scalable, On-Chip Cryogenic Control of Gate-Model Qubits
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Key Terms
gate-model qubitstechnical
Gate-model qubits are the basic units of information inside circuit-based quantum computers; like a computer bit but able to represent and be manipulated in multiple states at once using discrete logical operations called gates. For investors they matter because the number, stability and error levels of these qubits determine how powerful and useful a quantum machine can be in practice—improvements signal closer commercial applications, faster problem-solving, and clearer paths to revenue.
quantum processing unitstechnical
A quantum processing unit is the core chip that runs quantum computers, using quantum bits that can represent multiple states at once rather than the simple 0 or 1 of regular chips. For investors, it matters because these units promise to solve some complex problems far faster than today’s processors, creating opportunities and risks around new products, partnerships, long research timelines and high development costs—similar to betting on next-generation engines for whole industries.
fluxonium qubittechnical
A fluxonium qubit is a type of quantum bit built from a tiny superconducting circuit that stores and manipulates quantum information. Compared with some other qubits, it is engineered to be less disturbed by electrical or magnetic noise, so it can hold its quantum state longer and perform clearer operations—think of it as a more stable tuning fork for fragile quantum signals. For investors, advances in fluxonium designs can speed development of practical quantum processors, affect hardware costs and scaling prospects, and influence which companies lead in quantum computing technology.
superconducting bump bondingtechnical
A fabrication method that uses tiny raised metal connections—like microscopic studs—to join two circuit layers while preserving superconductivity so there’s virtually no electrical resistance between them. Think of it as Lego-like pegs that let multiple thin chips stack and talk to each other without losing signal or generating heat. For investors, it matters because the technique enables denser, higher‑performance and more reliable superconducting devices (important in quantum computing and ultra‑low‑loss electronics), which can affect cost, manufacturability and product competitiveness.
cryogenic packagingtechnical
Cryogenic packaging is specialized insulated packaging and containers designed to hold materials at extremely low temperatures (often using liquid nitrogen or other coolants) to keep them stable and usable. Think of it as an industrial-grade thermos for sensitive items like vaccines, biological samples or certain chemicals; for investors it matters because it affects product viability, regulatory compliance, supply-chain reliability, operational costs and capital needs for companies that handle temperature-sensitive goods.
superconducting qubitstechnical
Superconducting qubits are tiny circuits cooled to near absolute zero that use electrical currents to store and process quantum information, similar to a coin that can behave like both heads and tails at once. They matter to investors because they are one of the leading hardware approaches for building powerful quantum computers that could transform industries—so progress, production scaling, or setbacks in this technology can strongly influence the value of firms and supply chains tied to computing, materials and cloud services.
trapped ionstechnical
Trapped ions are charged atoms held motionless by electric and magnetic fields so their internal states can be precisely controlled and measured—think of marbles suspended in an invisible bowl. Investors care because this technique is a leading platform for quantum computers, ultra-accurate clocks and sensors that could create new industries or disrupt existing ones; companies mastering trapped-ion systems may gain long-term competitive and technological advantages.
hybrid-quantum solverstechnical
Hybrid-quantum solvers are computing systems that combine conventional processors with quantum hardware to tackle hard mathematical problems like optimization, simulation, or pattern finding. For investors, they matter because they promise faster or better solutions for tasks that drive value—such as finding more efficient logistics routes, improving financial models, or speeding drug discovery—similar to adding a specialized tool to a workshop that can handle jobs standard tools struggle with, potentially creating competitive advantages if the technology scales.
Historic achievement represents breakthrough in building and scaling commercially viable gate-model quantum computers
PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) (“D-Wave” or the “Company”), a leader in quantum computing systems, software, and services, and the world’s first commercial supplier of quantum computers, today announced a breakthrough in gate-model quantum computing with the successful demonstration of scalable on-chip cryogenic control of qubits. This industry-first milestone advances the development of commercially viable gate-model quantum computers by significantly reducing the wiring required to control large numbers of qubits without degrading qubit fidelity.
This achievement validates that the on-chip cryogenic control technology D-Wave developed for its commercial annealing quantum processing units (QPUs) can also be applied to its gate-model architectures. In D-WaveTM annealing systems, the control technology uses multiplexed digital-to-analog converters to control tens of thousands of qubits and couplers with just 200 bias wires. The same control technology can also reduce gate-model wiring complexity while maintaining qubit fidelity, enabling large-scale, practical gate-model QPUs.
“Without on-chip control and multiplexing, useful gate-model quantum computers require an impractically large amount of wiring and massive cryogenic enclosures,” said Dr. Trevor Lanting, chief development officer at D-Wave. “Scalability is fundamental to the growth and increasing adoption of this technology, and controlling more qubits with less wiring enables us to build larger processors with a smaller footprint. We believe this historic milestone positions D-Wave to deliver the industry’s first truly scalable, commercial-grade gate-model system.”
Using superconducting bump bonding and advanced cryogenic packaging techniques, D-Wave built a multichip package that integrates a high-coherence fluxonium qubit chip with a multilayer control chip. Key components of the multichip package were fabricated leveraging deep expertise and processes at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a research and development lab federally funded by NASA and managed by Caltech.
D-Wave’s superconducting technology builds on decades of established micro-circuit manufacturing techniques, enabling faster, lower-cost scaling using proven supply chains. Superconducting qubits can execute gates significantly faster than trapped ions, neutral atoms, or photonics—a gap that matters as systems scale and fidelity improves. With more than 20 years of pioneering work in superconducting quantum computing, and over 60 percent of the company’s patents spanning both annealing and gate-model technologies, D-Wave is uniquely positioned to develop foundational technologies across the full quantum landscape.
To learn more about D-Wave’s latest product roadmap and progress across annealing and gate-model quantum computing, hybrid-quantum solvers and quantum-AI, join us at Qubits 2026, January 27 and 28, 2026, in Boca Raton, Florida. To register for Qubits 2026 visit: https://www.qubits.com.
About D-Wave Quantum Inc.
D-Wave is a leader in the development and delivery of quantum computing systems, software, and services. We are the world’s first commercial supplier of quantum computers, and the only company building both annealing and gate-model quantum computers. Our mission is to help customers realize the value of quantum, today. Our quantum computers — the world’s largest — feature QPUs with sub-second response times and can be deployed on-premises or accessed through our quantum cloud service, which offers 99.9% availability and uptime. More than 100 organizations trust D-Wave with their toughest computational challenges. With over 200 million problems submitted to our quantum systems to date, our customers apply our technology to address use cases spanning optimization, artificial intelligence, research and more. Learn more about realizing the value of quantum computing today and how we’re shaping the quantum-driven industrial and societal advancements of tomorrow: www.dwavequantum.com.
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