Two qubit types, one photonic link
IonQ connected a trapped-ion qubit with a silicon-vacancy (SiV) qubit inside diamond through a light-based photonic interconnect. The link produced more than 1,000 entanglement events per second. According to the company, that is more than four times the previous record for trapped-ion systems.
Entanglement links two quantum systems through shared quantum states, enabling operations that classical communication cannot reproduce. Quantum networks rely on this property to coordinate separate processors.
Why mix two technologies?
Trapped ions preserve quantum information for long periods. Silicon-vacancy centers in diamond, meanwhile, interact efficiently with light, making them promising for quantum memories. IonQ's approach combines these strengths over a photonic link: the trapped ion carries the quantum information, while the solid-state memory provides an interface suited to optical communication.
Speed matters for scaling
Larger quantum computers may need to coordinate many separate processing units. Slow connections could limit how quickly those units perform joint operations, even when individual qubits work well. IonQ Chairman and CEO Niccolo de Masi compares the challenge to the evolution of conventional data centers, where specialized processors, memory and networking help computing scale beyond individual machines. Quantum systems could follow a similar path.
DARPA program and commercial plans
IonQ is also pursuing quantum networking through DARPA's HARQ program. The company expects the underlying design to accommodate other platforms, including neutral-atom systems and superconducting qubits paired with transducers that convert microwave signals into light.
Commercialization has begun: the University of Maryland purchased the first commercial system, announced in April 2026, and IonQ announced another system sale to South Korean company SDT in September. Chris Monroe, IonQ's chief scientist and co-founder, says photonic links will play an essential role in large-scale quantum computing. The next challenge is turning faster entanglement into reliable operations across increasingly complex quantum networks.
