CHAMP-ION SGA1 · CHAMPIONING A EUROPEAN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING PILOT LINE OF ION-TRAPS, SPECIFIC GRANT AGREEMENT 1

CHAMP-ION SGA1 leverages EU fabrication capabilities to ensure sovereignty and lead in ion-trap quantum technologies by establishing an inclusive and sustainable, high quality pilot line network across the EU to advance ion-trap chip (ITC) innovation, securing the EU supply chain, supporting SME and Start-Up involvement, and establishing standards for industrialization and mass production. CHAMP-ION focuses on enabling Europe’s first open access pilot production capabilities for ITCs to advance EU’s competitive advantage in this key enabling technology by expanding high-quality industrial production with improved reliability. CHAMP-ION’s technical vision is to provide the entire value chain, from design to microfabrication and testing, for validated fully integrated and mass-producible advanced scalable ITCs exploiting integrated electronic and photonic structures on a chip. CHAMPION intends to drive ITC technology transfer from experimental to high yield, high quality production with advanced features for the next 10+ years by: (1) coordinating internal management of the Pilot Line (2) establishing and operating high quality fabrication capabilities for ITCs, including first-mover development of ITC Process Design Kits (PDKs) (3) ensuring mature advanced feature integration enabling scalable and efficient solutions for quantum technologies and (4) fostering inclusive network outreach, including a professionally managed single entry point, to enhance the market of interested target groups who can foster European utilization of ITCs. CHAMP-ION will become a central pivot point and incubator for the EU ion-trap industry, providing a one-stop-shop to high-quality ITCs tailored to user needs, and open to all EU stakeholders. This will empower an efficient, sustainable, competitive and resilient ecosystem of ITC-based quantum technologies that will improve EU strategic autonomy with applications in QU-communication, QU-sensing, and QU-computing.