A stage and post-production apparatus

Abstract

The application discloses a carrier and a post-preparation device, and belongs to the technical field of quantum chip preparation. The carrier comprises a workbench, a cooling device arranged on the bottom surface, and a driving device fixedly connected with the workbench and used for driving the workbench to move. In the manner, the cooling device can quickly dissipate the excessive heat on the quantum chip, so as to prevent the quantum chip from being damaged due to overheating and slow down the aging rate of the quantum chip. The driving device can drive the workbench and the quantum chip on the surface of the workbench, so that all the quantum chips carried can be moved to the corresponding process area without destroying the process environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of quantum chip fabrication technology, and in particular relates to a stage and post-fabrication equipment. Background Technology

[0002] The core of a superconducting quantum chip is the use of superconducting components such as superconducting Josephson junctions to construct qubits. By applying specific microwave pulses and other operations to the superconducting qubits, functions such as qubit initialization, logic gate operations, and readout can be achieved.

[0003] In the fabrication process of superconducting quantum chips, defects exist in the equipment used to process the quantum chips, which may cause the performance or quality of the fabricated quantum chips to fall short of expectations, or cause the fabrication process to proceed slowly. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a stage and post-processing equipment to solve the problem that the performance or quality of the prepared quantum chips does not meet expectations or the preparation process is slow due to defects in the equipment used to process quantum chips in the prior art. The stage and post-processing equipment provided by this application can eliminate excess heat on the quantum chip in a timely manner to ensure that the laser can achieve local heating of the quantum chip, while slowing down the aging of the quantum chip at low temperature, and can move the supported quantum chip in multiple directions to perform the corresponding processes in a timely manner.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model provides a platform for supporting quantum chips, the platform comprising:

[0006] The worktable includes a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface, wherein the top surface is provided with a receiving position for accommodating the quantum chip;

[0007] A cooling device disposed on the bottom surface; and

[0008] A drive unit is fixedly connected to the worktable and is used to drive the worktable to move.

[0009] Preferably, the number of the accommodating positions is multiple.

[0010] Preferably, the stage further includes a fixing device for fixing the quantum chip to the receiving position.

[0011] Preferably, the fixing device is a pressure plate that is rotatably connected to the worktable (1) at one end, and the pressure plate can press the other end of the quantum chip located in the accommodating position (11) by rotating.

[0012] Preferably, the cooling device includes a condenser tube disposed on the bottom surface.

[0013] Preferably, the bottom surface is provided with spirally distributed grooves for holding the condenser tube in place.

[0014] Preferably, the platform further includes a support platform, which is disposed between the drive device and the worktable and connects the drive device and the worktable respectively.

[0015] Preferably, the platform further includes a support column, one end of which is connected to the support platform and the other end is connected to the periphery of the worktable, for fixing and separating the worktable and the support platform.

[0016] Preferably, the driving device includes:

[0017] A first guide rail extending along a first direction;

[0018] A second guide rail is slidably mounted on the first guide rail and extended along the second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other and parallel to the top surface;

[0019] A lifting element and a rotating element; wherein, one end of the lifting element is slidably mounted on the second guide rail, and the other end is connected to the rotating element, for raising and lowering the rotating element in a direction perpendicular to the top surface; the rotating element is connected to the support platform at the end away from the lifting element, for rotating the support platform about the extension and retraction direction of the lifting element as an axis.

[0020] This application also provides a post-processing apparatus, comprising:

[0021] The cavity has a first space for annealing and a second space for resistance measurement, and the first space and the second space are connected.

[0022] The aforementioned stage is disposed inside the cavity;

[0023] The worktable is driven by a drive device to move between the first space and the second space.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, this application provides a cooling device on the bottom surface of the worktable and a drive device for moving the worktable. During some manufacturing or testing processes of the quantum chip, excess heat on the quantum chip can be dissipated in a timely manner to prevent the excess heat from causing unexpected damage to the quantum chip. Furthermore, the drive device can drive the worktable carrying the quantum chip to move. When the process equipment cannot process all the quantum chips on the platform by its own movement, or when it is necessary to transfer the quantum chip to the next process, the traditional manual transfer method that damages the environment of the quantum chip can be avoided. Instead, the worktable and the quantum chips on its surface can be moved by the drive device. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the platform provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the top surface of the worktable provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the workbench bottom surface provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the driving device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0029] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the post-processing equipment provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0030] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1-Worktable, 11-Accommodation position, 12-Groove, 2-Drive device, 21-First guide rail, 22-Second guide rail, 23-Lifting element, 24-Rotating element, 3-Support platform, 4-Support column, 5-Cavity. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0032] The specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The advantages and features of the present invention will become clearer from the following description and claims. It should be noted that the drawings are all in a very simplified form and use non-precise proportions, and are only used to facilitate and clarify the illustration of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0033] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0034] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0035] A quantum computer is a device that performs high-speed mathematical and logical operations, stores and processes quantum information according to the laws of quantum mechanics. The main characteristics of quantum computers include high operating speed, strong information processing capabilities, and a wide range of applications. In quantum computers based on superconducting physics, the superconducting quantum chip is the core component. The qubits on the superconducting quantum chip are superconducting quantum circuits built based on the Josephson junction. To improve the performance parameters of the qubits, laser annealing can be used to anneal the Josephson junction.

[0036] In existing technologies, processes such as the deposition of superconducting layers on the surface of quantum chip substrates using atomic deposition equipment, the packaging process for stable operation of quantum chips, and a series of post-fabrication processes performed after the initial fabrication of quantum chips typically use a stage to fix the chip in order to ensure the accuracy and repeatability of the process operations and to ensure that the quantum devices and circuits on the chip can be precisely fabricated according to the design requirements.

[0037] During the laser annealing of Josephson junctions on quantum chips, the quantum chip is typically placed in a closed environment to isolate it from external influences. However, in practice, when annealing a region on the surface of the quantum chip, the heat originally concentrated in that region gradually transfers to other unintended areas. This heat can cause significant damage to the quantum chip. For example, excessively high temperatures may cause thermal diffusion of impurity atoms in non-annealed regions, leading to uneven impurity distribution and affecting the performance of the qubits and the overall consistency of the quantum chip. Alternatively, excessively high temperatures may also cause additional defects or damage to the crystal structure in non-annealed regions, disrupting the originally intact crystal structure and increasing electron scattering, thus affecting the electrical performance of the quantum chip.

[0038] To address the problems described above, this application provides a stage and a post-preparation apparatus.

[0039] For reference Figure 1 In one embodiment shown, the stage includes at least a worktable 1, a cooling device, and a driving device 2. The worktable 1 has a top surface and a bottom surface facing away from each other. Its main function is to support the quantum chip, facilitating a series of fabrication or testing processes. Furthermore, because the quantum chip is small and has intricate internal circuitry, the fabrication and testing processes also require precision. Therefore, to prevent the quantum chip from shifting during fabrication and testing, leading to unexpected errors, a receiving position 11 for accommodating the quantum chip can be provided on the top surface of the worktable 1. The receiving position 11 can be customized according to the size and shape of the quantum chip; that is, when the quantum chip is placed on the top surface of the worktable 1, it can be held within the receiving position 11, thereby preventing the quantum chip from shifting to a certain extent.

[0040] In the fabrication or testing of quantum chips, heat-generating processes are common. For example, as the number of qubits increases, so do the instabilities in the process, leading to problems such as qubit frequency congestion. During production, non-destructive probing is used to detect the quality of quantum chips. For defective or substandard products, laser annealing can be used to address the issues mentioned above. However, the temperature of laser annealing is a relatively difficult parameter to control. Excessively high temperatures during laser annealing can cause thermal diffusion of impurity atoms in non-annealed regions, resulting in uneven impurity distribution. This can affect the performance of the qubits and the overall consistency of the quantum chip. Alternatively, the quantum chip itself is made of a large amount of superconducting material, which is extremely sensitive to temperature. Excessive heat can alter the superconducting properties of the non-annealed region, such as lowering the critical temperature and affecting the maintenance of the superconducting state, thus interfering with the normal operation of the qubit. The cooling device shown in this embodiment significantly improves upon these issues. Excess heat from the quantum chip is conducted to the stage 1, and the cooling device promptly absorbs this heat, preventing heat buildup on both the stage 1 and the quantum chip. This greatly reduces the impact of heat on the quantum chip, thereby improving the effectiveness of the process for quantum chip fabrication or testing. Furthermore, timely reduction of the quantum chip temperature can significantly slow down its aging rate.

[0041] It is worth noting that traditional processing stages often lack flexibility. When multiple quantum chips are simultaneously supported by a quantum chip, and all of them need to be processed in the same process, or when transitioning from one process to the next, the lack of stage flexibility may prevent the processing of all quantum chips. Previously, to address this issue, the positions of the quantum chips were typically adjusted manually, or they were placed centrally on the stage. However, this undoubtedly slows down the processing speed. Therefore, to solve the problem of insufficient stage flexibility, in this embodiment, the stage is also equipped with a drive device 2 fixedly connected to the worktable 1. The drive device 2 is mainly used to smoothly move the worktable 1, allowing the quantum chips on the surface of the worktable 1 to be moved one by one to the designated working area of ​​the process equipment.

[0042] Please refer to Figure 2 In order for the workbench 1 to carry multiple quantum chips at one time, multiple accommodating positions 11 can be set on the workbench 1. Each accommodating position 11 is prepared according to the size and shape of the quantum chip, so that a workbench 1 can hold multiple quantum chips at the same time for quantum chip preparation or testing, avoiding the equipment interruption caused by multiple assembly.

[0043] Furthermore, if the accommodating position 11 is simply set to the shape and size of the quantum chip it carries, the quantum chip may pop out of the accommodating position 11 if the vibration amplitude of the chip is too large during the preparation or testing process. Therefore, a fixing device can also be set to firmly fix the quantum chip in the accommodating position 11. It should be noted that the fixing device should not cause physical damage to the quantum chip, nor should it block the processing or testing area of ​​the quantum chip.

[0044] In practice, a pressure plate can be selected as the fixing device. The pressure plate itself has bending elasticity. One end of the pressure plate can be placed on the surface of the worktable 1 around the receiving position 11, and the one end of the pressure plate is rotatably connected to the surface of the worktable 1 by screws or the like, so that the other end of the pressure plate can be moved inside or outside the receiving position 11 by rotation. When the pressure plate is rotated so that the other end is inside the receiving position 11, this end can press and fix the quantum chip inside the receiving position 11 due to the elasticity of the pressure plate itself. After the process-related operations are completed, the end of the pressure plate that is in contact with the quantum chip is lifted and rotated, so that the quantum chip can be easily removed from the receiving position 11 of the worktable 1.

[0045] Based on the above description of the processes for preparing or testing quantum chips, especially processes such as laser annealing, the processing area of ​​the quantum chip will receive a large amount of heat, and the heat will be conducted to the non-processed areas. If the excess heat is not removed in time, it may cause unexpected damage to the quantum chip.

[0046] In one embodiment of this application, the cooling device includes at least a condenser tube disposed on the bottom surface of the worktable 1, the condenser tube being filled with a cooling medium, such as a fluorinated liquid. The cooling medium is cooled by a refrigerator and continuously circulates within the condenser tube to absorb the heat transferred from the quantum chip to the worktable 1, reducing heat accumulation on the worktable 1. This allows the heat from the quantum chip to dissipate rapidly, preventing excessive heat from causing unexpected damage to the quantum chip and slowing down its aging process.

[0047] Please refer to Figure 3 In order to allow the condenser tube to better fit the bottom surface of the workbench 1 and absorb heat, a planar spiral groove 12 can be set on the bottom surface. When the condenser tube is installed in this groove 12, the condenser tube can be locked in the groove 12 by the slight deformation of the condenser tube or the groove 12, so that the condenser tube can better fit the bottom surface of the workbench 1 and be firmly locked in the groove 12.

[0048] In another embodiment of this application, the platform is further provided with a support platform 3, which is disposed between the drive device 2 and the worktable 1 and connects the drive device and the worktable respectively, so that the worktable 1 is fixed to the drive device 2 by the support platform 3.

[0049] Furthermore, a support column 4 is provided between the support platform 3 and the worktable 1. Since a cooling device is fitted to the relatively central area of ​​the bottom surface of the worktable 1, the support column 4 should be positioned as close as possible to the periphery of the worktable 1 and the support platform 3 when placed between them. Specifically, through-holes with internal threads can be provided around the periphery of the worktable 1 and the support platform 3. The support device has external threads that mate with the internal threads of the through holes. By rotating, the support can be fixedly connected to the worktable 1 and the support platform 3 respectively, and the distance between the worktable 1 and the support platform 3 can be controlled. Moreover, multiple support columns 4 can be provided, each with a certain distance between them, to ensure stability between the worktable 1 and the support platform 3 during use and to better adjust the distance between the worktable 1 and the cavity 5. It is worth noting that the distance between the worktable 1 and the support platform 3 can be determined according to the actual situation. If the distance is too large, it may cause slight relative movement (or vibration) between the two; if the distance is too small, heat may accumulate in the space between them, thus affecting heat dissipation. Furthermore, the support column 4 itself is made of a low thermal conductivity material. During equipment operation, the support column 4 can minimize heat exchange between the drive device 2 and the worktable 1. On the one hand, this prevents the worktable 1 from introducing excessive heat, reducing the cooling quality of the cooling device. On the other hand, the drive device 2 being in a low-temperature state for a long time will affect its movement accuracy, and the heat generated by its own startup can alleviate this situation. Moreover, the support column 4 itself is made of an insulating material, providing electrical isolation between the drive device 2 and the worktable 1, improving the testing accuracy of the quantum chip's electrical performance.

[0050] In such Figure 4 In the embodiment shown, the driving device 2 further includes a first guide rail 21, a second guide rail 22, a lifting element 23, and a rotating element 24;

[0051] The first guide rail 21 is configured along a first direction, and the second guide rail 22 is configured along a second direction. The second guide rail 22 is slidably mounted on the first guide rail 21 along the first direction. The first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other and parallel to the top surface. One end of the lifting element 23 is slidably mounted on the second guide rail 22 along the second direction, and the other end is connected to the rotating element 24. The lifting element 23 is used to extend or shorten in a direction perpendicular to the top surface. The end of the rotating element 24 away from the lifting element 23 is connected to the support platform 3 and is used to rotate the support platform 3 about the extension and retraction direction of the lifting element 23.

[0052] In addition, the first guide rail 21, the second guide rail 22 and the rotating element 24 are each equipped with a piezoelectric ceramic motor to drive the element to move in the corresponding direction, and the lifting element 23 is equipped with a stepper motor to drive the lifting element 23 to extend or shorten.

[0053] Based on the above further definition of the drive device 2, it can be understood that the worktable 1 is set on the drive device 2 (or it can be described as the worktable 1 being set on the drive device 2 via the support platform 3 and the support column 4). When the components in the drive device 2 move relative to each other, the platform can move a certain distance in space.

[0054] Based on the aforementioned process for annealing quantum chips, in general, to evaluate the effect of laser annealing and test the performance of quantum chips, resistance measurement is often performed on the annealed chip, and the effectiveness of the annealing process and the performance of the quantum chip itself are judged by the resistance obtained from the test.

[0055] However, after the chip completes the annealing process, it needs to be removed from the annealing chamber and transferred to a resistance measurement device. It has been found that during the transfer process, factors such as contact with the atmosphere and external transport forces may cause the final measured resistance value to differ from the resistance value after annealing.

[0056] like Figure 5 As shown in the embodiments of this application, a post-processing device is also provided, which allows the quantum chip to be transferred from the annealing station to the resistance measurement station directly using a movable stage after the quantum chip has completed the annealing process, without damaging the vacuum environment. This avoids the quantum chip's test performance from being affected by impurities in the natural environment, which could lead to discrepancies between the actual performance after annealing and the test performance.

[0057] Specifically, the post-processing equipment includes a cavity 5, inside which are provided a first space for annealing and a second space for resistance measurement, and the first space and the second space are connected; the cavity 5 is also provided with a stage as described in the foregoing embodiments.

[0058] The worktable 1 is used to carry the quantum chip, perform the annealing process in the first space, and perform the resistance measurement process in the second space. Furthermore, the worktable 1 can be moved between the first space and the second space through the function of the drive device 2.

[0059] Specifically, one function of cavity 5 is to provide a vacuum internal environment for the annealing of quantum chips and to maintain its internal vacuum, so that the environment in which the quantum chip is measured during resistance measurement is consistent with the environmental parameters in which it is annealed, thus avoiding unexpected damage to the quantum chip caused by natural air and other factors.

[0060] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," or "specific example," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification.

[0061] The above description, based on the embodiments shown in the drawings, details the structure, features, and effects of this application. The above description is only a preferred embodiment of this application, but this application does not limit the scope of implementation to what is shown in the drawings. Any changes made in accordance with the concept of this application, or modifications to equivalent embodiments, that do not exceed the spirit covered by the specification and drawings, should be within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A platform for supporting a quantum chip, characterized in that, The platform includes: The worktable (1) includes a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface, wherein the top surface is provided with a receiving position (11) for accommodating the quantum chip; A cooling device is provided on the bottom surface; as well as The drive device (2) is fixedly connected to the worktable (1) and is used to drive the worktable (1) to move.

2. The platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of the accommodating positions (11) is multiple.

3. The platform according to claim 2, characterized in that, The stage also includes a fixing device for fixing the quantum chip to the receiving position (11).

4. The platform according to claim 3, characterized in that, The fixing device is a pressure plate that is rotatably connected to the worktable (1) at one end. The pressure plate can press the quantum chip located in the accommodating position (11) by rotating the other end.

5. The platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling device includes a condenser tube disposed on the bottom surface.

6. The platform according to claim 5, characterized in that, The bottom surface is provided with spirally distributed grooves (12) for holding the condenser tube in place.

7. The platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, The platform also includes a support platform (3), which is disposed between the drive device (2) and the worktable (1) and connects the drive device (2) and the worktable (1) respectively.

8. The platform according to claim 7, characterized in that, The platform also includes a support column (4), one end of which is connected to the support platform (3) and the other end is connected to the periphery of the worktable (1), for fixing and separating the worktable (1) and the support platform (3).

9. The platform according to claim 8, characterized in that, The driving device (2) includes: A first guide rail (21) extending along a first direction; A second guide rail (22) is slidably mounted on the first guide rail (21) and extends along the second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other and parallel to the top surface; A lifting element (23) and a rotating element (24); wherein, one end of the lifting element (23) is slidably mounted on the second guide rail (22), and the other end is connected to the rotating element (24), for raising and lowering the rotating element (24) in a direction perpendicular to the top surface; the rotating element (24) is connected to the support platform (3) at the end away from the lifting element (23), for rotating the support platform (3) about the extension and retraction direction of the lifting element (23) as an axis.

10. A post-processing apparatus, characterized in that, include: The cavity (5) is provided with a first space for annealing and a second space for resistance measurement, and the first space and the second space are connected. The stage according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is disposed inside the cavity (5); The worktable (1) is driven by a drive device (2) to move between the first space and the second space.

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