Altnaharra: Cryoelectronics for Quantum Circuits

A quantum computer’s processor is currently tethered by a tangle of input-output wires that choke its ability to scale. The Altnaharra project aims to cut those wires by building specialised cryogenic microchips that control and read out qubits directly inside the dilution refrigerator, where the quantum processor operates near absolute zero. Today, every qubit needs its own wire running from room-temperature electronics into the cold chamber. That physical bottleneck limits processors to a few dozen qubits—far too few to solve useful problems. By fabricating cryogenic CMOS circuits in standard silicon foundries, the team can shrink control electronics onto chips that sit centimetres from the qubits themselves. They are also developing novel ion-trap chips that integrate control functions on the same device. If successful, this work removes the wiring barrier, allowing quantum processors to scale to thousands or millions of qubits. That scale is necessary for practical applications—simulating new materials, designing catalysts, or optimising energy grids—but the project itself is fundamental engineering. It does not promise a near-term consumer product; it builds the infrastructure that makes future quantum computers physically possible.