UbiQD, Inc. received a $200,000 grant through the New Mexico Quantum Technologies Award to develop a quantum dot-based light source that emits individual photons reliably at room temperature, The Quantum Insider reported. The Economic Development New Mexico Department disbursed the funding via its Technology and Innovation Office.
State Funding Funds Optical Equipment at Los Alamos Headquarters
The $200,000 non-dilutive grant finances optical test benches, optical equipment, and cleanroom packaging at UbiQD’s headquarters in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Quantum Computing Report noted that the award is one of six allocations totaling $1.2 million distributed by New Mexico to regional quantum hardware and software firms. Under the award covenants, grant recipients must maintain active facilities and resident personnel within New Mexico for at least two years following the performance period.
Dealroom reported that the state financing follows UbiQD’s $20 million Series B funding round and a subsequent $6 million loan from Silicon Valley Bank. The company’s work builds upon collaborative feasibility trials conducted under the Technology Readiness Gross Receipts initiative with Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Quantum Dot Materials Suppress Heavy Metals and Eliminate Cryogenic Cooling
Linear-optical quantum computing architectures and quantum communications protocols require deterministic single-photon generation to emit individual quanta on demand while suppressing multi-photon noise. Conventional epitaxial semiconductor quantum dots require liquid-helium cooling below four kelvins to mitigate phonon-induced line broadening. UbiQD utilizes solution-processed semiconductor nanocrystals composed of copper indium disulfide, a chemical composition that eliminates cadmium, lead, and mercury to comply with industrial safety mandates.
“Quantum computing is what originally drew me into this field, and this project is an exciting opportunity to bring our technology full circle,” Hunter McDaniel, founder and chief executive officer of UbiQD, said in a statement. Research published in 2017 by Los Alamos—co-authored by the grant’s principal investigator and senior vice president of R&D, Nikolay Makarov—demonstrated that copper indium disulfide quantum dots are capable of emitting single photons at room temperature.
Intellectual Property Portfolio Backs Fiber-Optic Integration Plans
Practical deployment centers on embedding colloidal dots straight into standard single-mode optical fiber configurations, leveraging foundational layouts secured by U.S. Patent 12,085,443 to avoid alignment-dependent free-space optical routing. UbiQD owns or exclusively licenses 17 granted U.S. patents, 23 granted international patents, and 27 pending applications. The intellectual property spans foundational materials, manufacturing methods for films and concentrates, and end-use applications including security inks, agriculture, and solar technologies.
“We’re not just manufacturing materials, we’re building an optical product and an IP position in the quantum industry,” Makarov said. The company’s expanding portfolio includes patents originated from McDaniel’s original research at Los Alamos National Laboratory and licensed technology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Washington.
Frequently Asked Questions About UbiQD Quantum Grant
What specific chemical composition does UbiQD use for its quantum dots?
UbiQD uses solution-processed I-III-VI semiconductor nanocrystals composed of copper indium disulfide, which eliminates heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, and mercury.
How much funding did UbiQD receive from New Mexico?
The company received a $200,000 non-dilutive grant through the New Mexico Quantum Technologies Award, administered by the Economic Development New Mexico Department via its Technology and Innovation Office.
What operational requirements come with the state award?
Grant recipients must maintain active facilities and resident personnel within New Mexico for at least two years post-performance, according to terms outlined by the Economic Development New Mexico Department.