Quantum dot qubit using High NA EUV lithography | imec ExpertiseWhat we offerApplicationsYour careerAbout imecContact CMOS: advanced and beyondDiscover why imec is the premier R&D center for advanced logic & memory devices.Integrated photonicsTake a look at technologies for optical transceivers, sensors and more.Health technologiesSee how imec brings the power of chip technology to the world of healthcare.Sensing and actuationExplore imec’s CMOS- and photonics-based sensing and actuation systems.Connectivity technologyLook into our reliable, high-performance, low-power network technologies.More expertisesDiscover all our expertises. ResearchBe the first to reap the benefits of imec’s research by joining one of our programs or starting an exclusive bilateral collaboration.ManufacturingGo from idea to scalable and reliable semiconductor manufacturing with IC-Link.VenturingWe create and co-create new ventures, and we invest in and accelerate existing ventures.Education and workforce developmentImec supports formal and on-the-job training for a range of careers in semiconductors.NanoIC pilot lineAligned with the EU Chips Act, access to the pilot line will accelerate beyond-2nm innovation. Semiconductor technologyLife sciences and health solutionsData and telecommunicationAutomotive technologiesRobotics technology for Industry 4.0More applications /World first: imec presents quantum dot qubit device using High NA EUV lithography Press releaseWorld first: imec presents quantum dot qubit device using High NA EUV lithography The most advanced lithography system, crucial for future advanced memory and computer chips, will play a key role in scaling up quantum technology  LEUVEN (Belgium), MAY 19, 2026— This week, at ITF World, imec, a world-leading research and innovation hub in advanced semiconductor technologies, presents a world first: a quantum dot qubit device fabricated using High NA EUV lithography. This achievement marks a milestone toward the industrial scaling of more reliable qubits, the basic computational units of quantum computers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first integrated hardware device created using High NA EUV lithography. For specific, complex computational problems, such as developing new drugs or simulating physical processes, a quantum computer could perform exponentially better than classical computers. However, for a useful quantum computer, we need to scale to millions of connected qubits (the computational units of a quantum computer), with high reliability and precise control.Of the various quantum platforms currently under investigation, silicon quantum dot spin qubits are considered a promising candidate for industrial scaling and are often referred to as ‘the industry qubits’. Their production process is largely compatible with the production of standard computer chips on silicon (CMOS), a research domain in which imec has built global authority over the past decades.“We can leverage decades of semiconductor innovation and reuse the entire ecosystem of silicon scaling, moving quantum devices beyond lab experiments to large-scale, manufacturable systems. This is where silicon-based qubits have a clear advantage”, Sofie Beyne, project leader and quantum integration engineer at imec, explains.Silicon quantum dot spin qubits confine an electron within a silicon nanostructure (the gate layer). The ‘spin state’ of the trapped electron is used to store quantum information. Gaps between the various gates must be minimized to limit environmental noise.Imec has succeeded in fabricating a functioning network of qubits with gaps of barely 6 nanometers. Thanks to the nanoscale of this hardware component, millions of quantum bits can theoretically be integrated onto a single chip.“High NA EUV enables the precise patterning of silicon quantum dot qubits. As the coupling strength between neighboring quantum dots increases exponentially with the gap between them, we need to reliably pattern gaps of a few nanometers between the control electrodes of the quantum dots. This is a true engineering feat, thanks to our integration and patterning teams and ASML's outstanding high NA EUV technology”, says Kristiaan De Greve, imec fellow and program director Quantum Computing.This demonstration builds on imec’s previous results with silicon quantum dot spin qubits, which already demonstrated that CMOS-compatible processes can lead to low charge noise and stable qubit operation. By adding High NA EUV lithography to the production process, the focus shifts from individual demonstration devices in the lab to 300mm fab-compatible, reproducible quantum bits.While it’s obvious that High NA EUV lithography will be crucial for sub-2nm logic and high-density memory technologies that fuel the rapid growth of advanced AI and high-performance computing, it is now becoming clear that it will also play a pivotal role in hardware for future quantum computing.  Jade LiuInternational press communications (Americas, GCC, Asia-Pacific) Linda WetzelInternational press communications (Europe)More:Physical qubits for quantum computingSi MOS quantum dot spin qubits: roads to upscalingPublished on:19 May 2026 Share this article on Functioning array of qubits with gaps between plunger (P) and barrier (B) gates of barely 6 nanometers, enabled by High NA EUV lithography. The image also shows the About imecImec is a world-leading research and innovation hub in advanced semiconductor technologies. Leveraging its state-of-the-art R&D infrastructure and the expertise of over 6,500 employees, imec drives innovation in semiconductor and system scaling, artificial intelligence, silicon photonics, connectivity, and sensing.Imec’s advanced research powers breakthroughs across a wide range of industries, including computing, health, automotive, industry, consumer electronics, aerospace and security. Through IC-Link, imec  delivers customized solutions, from concept to full-scale manufacturing, to meet the most advanced design and production needs. Through imec.ventures, imec creates, co‑creates new ventures, and supports existing semiconductor deep‑tech companies to scale-up.Imec collaborates with global leaders across the semiconductor value chain, as well as with technology companies, start-ups, academia, and research institutions in Flanders and worldwide. Headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, imec has research facilities in Belgium, across Europe, the USA and the GCC region, and representation on three continents. In 2025, imec reported revenues of €1.2 billion.For more information, visit www.imec-int.comThe imec group holds a global trademark portfolio, including word marks and combined figurative registered and unregistered trademarks, across national, regional, and international territories. Its lawful use requires prior written consent of IMEC in compliance with the IMEC branding guidelines, which may be updated periodically. The latest version is available upon written request. Read more PressSemiconductor-based quantum pilot line ‘SPINS’ launched with EU support Page-turnerSi MOS quantum dot spin qubits: roads to upscaling PressAnton Potočnik receives prestigious ERC Consolidator Grant PressImec technology lights the path to utility scale for Diraq’s quantum chips Research updateTaking a quantum leap from lab to fab PressRecord-low charge noise for Si MOS quantum dots PressLeap in Belgian quantum communication infrastructure: first QKD links Research updateProgress in upscaling Si spin and superconducting based quantum technologies Research updateImec demonstrates high-quality superconducting qubits fabricated with CMOS-compatible technologies PressImec Tenure-Track Holder Christian Haffner Awarded With ERC Starting Grant Research updateConnecting the (quantum) dots: A bilinear 2D device architecture for large-scale silicon-based quantum computers. Research updateElectrical readout of electron-nuclear spins in a diamond quantum chip at room temperature Follow imec on:Expertise Dive into our expertise.Artificial intelligenceLife sciencesHealth technologiesDiscover more expertises...What we offer Our R&D solutions and innovation servicesResearchManufacturingVenturingApplications Advanced semiconductor process technologyLife sciences and health solutionsData and telecommunicationDiscover more applications...Jobs Discover our careers.Job opportunitiesAcademic ExcellenceAbout imec InfrastructureOrganizationMore imec StoriesPress releasesEvent calendarPublicationsimec the Netherlandsimec USAimec UKITFConnect with uspartner site|disclaimer|privacy statement|cookie policy|terms and conditions of sale/purchase|accessibility

Imec, a leading research and innovation hub in advanced semiconductor technologies, recently presented a world first achievement: a quantum dot qubit device fabricated using High NA EUV lithography. This accomplishment represents a significant step toward the industrial scaling of reliable qubits, which are the fundamental computational units of quantum computers. The text emphasizes that this development signifies the first integrated hardware device successfully created using High NA EUV lithography.

The development positions silicon quantum dot spin qubits as a promising candidate for industrial scaling and is often referred to as ‘the industry qubits’ because their production process is compatible with standard silicon chip manufacturing, or CMOS technology, an area where imec has established global authority. Sofie Beyne, project leader and quantum integration engineer at imec, explained that the group can leverage decades of semiconductor innovation and reuse the entire ecosystem of silicon scaling to move quantum devices beyond laboratory experiments into large-scale, manufacturable systems, asserting that silicon-based qubits hold a distinct advantage in this transition.

The physical realization of these qubits involves confining an electron within a silicon nanostructure, where the electron's spin state stores the quantum information, and minimizing the gaps between these structures is essential to limit environmental noise. Imec has achieved the fabrication of a functioning network of qubits with gaps as small as 6 nanometers, a feat made possible by the nanoscale precision of the hardware components.

The use of High NA EUV lithography is critical for enabling this level of integration. As the coupling strength between neighboring quantum dots increases exponentially with the separation between them, reliably patterning gaps of a few nanometers between the control electrodes of the quantum dots becomes a demanding engineering task. Kristiaan De Greve, imec fellow and program director for Quantum Computing, noted that this precise patterning is an engineering achievement enabled by the integration and patterning teams and ASML's High NA EUV technology.

This demonstration builds upon previous results showing that CMOS-compatible processes can yield low charge noise and stable qubit operation in silicon quantum dot spin qubits. By incorporating High NA EUV lithography into the production process, the focus shifts from demonstrating individual devices in a laboratory setting to creating reproducible quantum bits compatible with 300mm fabrication facilities. Consequently, although High NA EUV is widely recognized as crucial for advanced logic and memory technologies fueling artificial intelligence and high-performance computing, it is now clearly recognized as playing a pivotal role in the hardware necessary for future quantum computing systems. Imec’s work further extends this expertise across broader areas such as integrated photonics, sensing and actuation systems, and connectivity technology, positioning the group as a comprehensive leader in advanced semiconductor research.