IonQ has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Lightsynq Technologies, a developer of optical quantum interconnects that enable hardware providers to link quantum processors. The acquisition adds a portfolio of more than 20 technology patents and patent applications related to quantum memory, and further strengthens IonQ's intellectual property following the company's acquisition of ID Quantique. 

“IonQ’s vision has always been to scale our quantum networks through quantum repeaters, and scale our quantum compute power through photonic interconnects,” said IonQ president and CEO Niccolo de Masi, who the company appointed a day before announcing its acquisition of ID Quantique. The addition of Lightsynq’s team and intellectual property are expected to significantly accelerate both roadmaps, de Masi said.

Founded by former Harvard quantum networking experts and research leads from Amazon Web Services Center for Quantum Networking, Lightsynq emerged from stealth late last year with $18M in financing. The company's architecture is broadly compatible with leading quantum computing modalities and uses integrated diamond photonic circuits to link multiple limited-scale devices into a modular, full-scale quantum computer, similar to the methods used to build current high-performance computing systems. The approach uses quantum memories based on color centers in diamond, a technology that enables capabilities like heralding and in-memory computing.

The solution, Lightsynq said, will provide a pathway to foundry-scale production of quantum interconnects, enabling more usable qubits across networks and accelerating wider industrial and commercial applications.

“Our photonic interconnect will integrate with IonQ’s quantum processing units to boost connection speeds and ensure long term market-leading scale and power in quantum computing,” said Lightsynq CEO Mihir Bhaskar. The interconnect technology will also be critical for the establishment of a quantum internet, enabling applications in financial, telecommunications, aerospace, and defense sectors, Bhaskar said.

In sharing its first quarter financial results this week, IonQ also announced a definitive agreement to acquire Capella Space Corporation, a provider of space-based sensing and communications for government and commercial applications. The move supports ambitions to deploy a quantum network and quantum computer in space, the company said. In addition, the transaction is expected to contribute to the company's quantum networking position, as well as to expand its quantum computing partnerships with U.S. top secret agencies through Capella's Facility Security Clearance, IonQ said. 

The acquisitions — including the ID Quantique acquisition, which IonQ closed this week, and the acquisition of Qubitekk earlier this year — are part of IonQ's efforts to expand its quantum networking business. Last month the company signed a memorandum of understanding with Intellian Technologies to explore quantum networking's potential in satellite communications. The company has also appointed Jordan Shapiro president and general manager of quantum networking.

IonQ has partnerships with NKT Photonics, Ansys, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technologies, General Dynamics Information Technology, and imec.