Bosch, Element Six aim for chip-scale diamond quantum sensor
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Bosch is spinning out its quantum sensor startup into a joint venture with synthetic diamond maker Element Six to make chip-scale devices.
Quantum sensors are a key technology area for Bosch, and the two companies have been working together for the last couple of years, building on a decade of research at Bosch. This has achieved a quantum sensor prototype the same size as a modern smartphone, and the long-term goal of the venture is to integrate the sensors onto a chip.
Bosch Quantum Sensing will be based in Ludwigsburg, Germany, and the in-house company of the same name currently has 30 staff. Bosch will be the lead partner and be responsible for operations, while Element Six will hold a 25 percent stake. Further financial details will not be disclosed.
Element Six is a subsidiary of diamond firm De Beers, itself a subsidiary of mining giant Anglo American. It is currently scaling up production of its diamond substrates to 4in single crystal wafers.
The synthetic diamonds are grown with nitrogen vacancies that can detect magnetic fields down to picoTesla at room temperature. This allows a diamond-based quantum sensor to be used for a range of applications from aircraft navigation to medical technology.
In the area of mobility, it could enable a robust navigation in the future, complementary to conventional GPS systems. By the middle of the next decade, Bosch estimates that the global market potential of medical and mobility applications will be around $6bn a year.
“Quantum sensors are a future technology with huge potential. They will bring about fundamental changes in many sectors of our economy, and improve people’s lives. In setting up this new company, we are underscoring this technology’s strategic significance for Bosch. As innovation leader of commercial quantum sensors, we will work with Element Six to further extend our technological lead,” says Stefan Hartung, chairman of the board of management of Robert Bosch.
“We want to work with Element Six to make quantum sensor technology economical and allow them to be produced on an industrial scale. In this way, we will create the basis for innovative applications that set new standards for precision and efficiency,” said Katrin Kobe, CEO of Bosch Quantum Sensing.
“Through the joint venture between Bosch and Element Six, which aligns with Element Six’ contribution towards De Beers Group’s Origins strategy, we will integrate our synthetic diamond technology with Bosch Quantum Sensing’s capabilities, unlocking new possibilities in critical sectors such as healthcare and navigation,” said Siobhán Duffy, the CEO of Element Six.
www.bosch-quantumsensing.com; www.e6.com
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