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AGM Presentation - 22 November 2024

SILEX Quantum Silicon (Q-Si) Production for Quantum Computing

Project Overview

Silex’s Q-Si Production Project, which commenced in August 2023, is being undertaken in conjunction with partners, Silicon Quantum Computing Pty Ltd (SQC) and UNSW Sydney (UNSW). The Project’s objective is to establish the first Q-Si Production Plant and to develop the skills and capability to manufacture Q-Si products, produced from Zero-Spin Silicon (ZS-Si) halosilane, in multiple product forms at commercial scale.

In January 2024, Silex announced the expansion of its commercial arrangements with longstanding partner, SQC, in support of the Q-Si Production Project. This included an increase to SQC’s product offtake commitment for Q-Si products and additional funding arrangements that will result in a cash contribution of $4.35m to the Project. The 3.5-year Project is also supported with $5.1m in funding from the Federal Government’s Defence Trailblazer for Concept to Sovereign Capability Program, a strategic partnership between The University of Adelaide and UNSW, via the Department of Education’s Trailblazer Universities Program.

The aim of the Project is to design and construct the first module of the Q-Si Production Plant at the Company’s Lucas Heights facility. It is anticipated that the Plant will produce up to 20kg annually of ZS-Si, which will be converted to Q-Si product forms (gaseous and solid) required by potential customers in the global silicon-based quantum computing industry. A key benefit of the SILEX laser isotope separation technology is its modular nature, allowing for the Production Plant to be scaled-up with more production modules over time, based on market demand and other factors.

ZS-Si is a unique form of isotopically enriched silicon, which is a key enabling material for the fabrication of next generation processor chips that will power silicon-based quantum computers. Until recently, most of the world’s supply of enriched silicon came from Russia, produced with conventional centrifuge technology. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has disrupted this supply, which has given rise to some urgency in establishing alternative supply. Silex aims to provide a secure and resilient alternative source of enriched silicon for users around the world.  

Silex will retain ownership of the Q-Si production technology and related Intellectual Property developed through the Project.

Background to Silicon Quantum Computing

Australia has been at the forefront of global efforts to develop and commercialise quantum computing and associated quantum technologies, which have the potential to underpin transformational technological advancements in many fields, including AI, robotics, advanced communications, and sensing, and in complex global industries, such as defence and aerospace, finance, biomedical science, chemicals, and logistics. UNSW and its commercial spin out, SQC, are world leaders in developing silicon-based quantum computing technology, which, if successful, will allow Australia to establish sovereign capability in a key strategic technology that will advance the country’s future defence, national security, and economic competitiveness in the emerging quantum technology era.

Many other countries around the world are also investing heavily in the development of quantum computing technology, with governments and key corporates (such as Intel, IBM, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and others) vying for leadership in this emerging strategic industry.

Silicon-based quantum computing technology is reliant on the production of enriched silicon-28 (Q-Si). Current methods for production of Q-Si are limited and costly, with only small quantities produced annually, mostly using gas centrifuge technology in Russia. Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, this fragile supply chain has been disrupted, threatening the commercial viability and technical feasibility of silicon-based quantum computing.

Zero-Spin and Q-Si Production

ZS-Si is a key enabling material for the silicon QC processor chip. Natural silicon (Si) consists of 3 isotopes: 92.2% Si-28, 3.1% Si-30 (each with zero electron spin state) and 4.7% Si-29 (with a spin state of ½). The presence of Si-29 in concentrations above 500 parts per million (ppm) (0.05%) prevents effective QC performance, so ZS-Si must be produced by elimination of the Si-29 isotope. The lower the concentration of Si-29, the better a silicon quantum processor will perform in terms of computational power, accuracy and reliability.

ZS-Si (in the form of halo-silane) is planned to be converted using the Q-Si Production Plant into multiple Q-Si product forms that are required by potential customers in the global silicon-based quantum computing industry.

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