Quantum Computing Inc. Quietly Wins with New Photonic Chip Foundry

Quantum Computing Inc. has completed the construction of its Quantum Photonic Chip Foundry, a commercial manufacturing operation to produce Thin-Film Lithium Niobate chips for high-performance data transmission. This strategic move bridges the gap between the company's valuation and revenue, tapping into a massive and established market projected to grow to $38.4 billion by 2029. QCi has already secured an offtake agreement with Comtech Telecommunications, a defense and communications firm, to produce TFLN wafers for its satellite communication hardware.

Quantum Computing Inc. (QCi) has completed the construction of its Quantum Photonic Chip Foundry, a commercial manufacturing operation to produce Thin-Film Lithium Niobate (TFLN) chips for high-performance data transmission. This strategic move bridges the gap between the company's valuation and revenue, tapping into a massive and established market projected to grow to $38.4 billion by 2029 [1].

The foundry, located in Shanghai, is the first of its kind in China and delivers technical performance that exceeds global standards. It features an annual capacity of 12,000 6-inch wafers and utilizes advanced fabrication tools to handle every step from lithography and etching to final chip packaging. The facility's goal is full technological self-reliance, aiming to reduce uncertainties in both materials science and fabrication techniques [1].

The TFLN chips produced by QCi are prized for their ultra-fast electro-optic properties, offering high bandwidth and low power consumption. This makes them particularly valuable for AI model training, large-scale cloud computing, and quantum communication. The foundry's ability to overcome the historical limitations of TFLN in large-scale manufacturing positions QCi at the forefront of global photonics innovation [1].

QCi has already secured an offtake agreement with Comtech Telecommunications, a defense and communications firm, to produce TFLN wafers for its satellite communication hardware. This partnership underscores the growing demand for high-performance photonic chips in the defense and communications sectors [1].

The construction of the Quantum Photonic Chip Foundry follows three years of development and refinement, with a focus on techniques such as annealing to ensure smooth surfaces and minimize energy loss. The foundry's initial capabilities include a modulation bandwidth of over 110 GHz and signal losses significantly reduced, making it capable of supporting advanced optical links with greater efficiency than previous designs [1].

The partnership between Vodafone and ORCA Computing also highlights the potential of quantum computing in optimizing network layouts. By running Vodafone's software on ORCA's PT-2 Series photonic quantum system, the companies aim to enhance techniques for finding optimal network layouts, potentially maximizing speed and minimizing required engineering work [2].

The strategic positioning of QCi's Quantum Photonic Chip Foundry, combined with its offtake agreement with Comtech Telecommunications and the collaborative efforts with Vodafone and ORCA Computing, places QCi at the center of a rapidly evolving market. As the demand for high-performance data transmission continues to grow, QCi's ability to produce TFLN chips at scale positions it for significant market share and revenue growth.

References:
[1] https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/06/13/china-ramps-up-photonic-chip-production-with-eye-on-ai-and-quantum-computing/
[2] https://picmagazine.net/article/121920/Vodafone_and_ORCA_partner_on_modelling_networks_with_quantum