TCS, IIT-Bombay to build India’s first quantum diamond microchip imager

Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS) has joined hands with the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-Bombay) to develop India’s first Quantum Diamond Microchip Imager, an advanced sensing tool that will help reduce chip failures and improve energy efficiency of electronic devices.

The collaboration aligns with India’s ambitious National Quantum Mission that aims to position the country as a leading player in global quantum technology.

As semiconductors shrink in size, traditional sensing methods lack the precision and capabilities to detect anomalies in chips. A Quantum Diamond Microchip Imager can image magnetic fields, enabling a non-invasive and non-destructive mapping of semiconductor chips, much like an MRI at a hospital, TCS said in a statement.

With its advanced capabilities to identify defects such as current leakages and enable visualization of three-dimensional charge flow in multi-layer chips, Quantum Diamond Microchip Imager will have wide applications in microelectronics, biological, and geological imaging, among others.

Over the next two years, experts from TCS will work with Kasturi Saha, an associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering of IIT-Bombay, to develop the quantum imaging platform in the PQuest Lab, the TCS statement said.

Semiconductor chips are essential in all modern electronic devices, making them smart and efficient. With the ability to process data and complete tasks, these chips act as the brain of devices across industries such as communications, computing, healthcare, military systems, transportation, clean energy, and more.

“PQuest is excited to collaborate with TCS on developing a quantum imaging platform for the non-destructive examination of chips, leveraging our extensive expertise in quantum sensing to drive innovation. By working together, we aim to transform various sectors, including electronics and healthcare, and propel India forward through groundbreaking technologies and products aligned with National Quantum Mission’s Quantum Sensing and Metrology vertical,” Saha said.

“The Second Quantum Revolution is progressing at an unprecedented speed, making it imperative to pool our resources and expertise to build cutting-edge capabilities in sensing, computing, and communication technologies,” Harrick Vin, chief technology officer at TCS, said.

Prof. Shireesh Kedare, director at IIT-Bombay, said, “IIT Bombay has a wide and deep pool of expertise in different critical domains, and we are keen to collaborate with industry to translate the ideas, innovations and research into the technologies and products through such collaborations as well as start-ups that will take India ahead.”

The latest project builds on TCS and IIT-B’s partnership since the 1990s that spanned joint research projects, collaborative education programs, internships, and faculty development programs.

IIT-B was the first institute to be signed on as an academic partner for TCS’ Co-Innovation Network (COIN), a platform driving industry-academia collaboration for pioneering solutions.