Associate Dean for Research at the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Director of the Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park Harley Johnson explored the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, a groundbreaking public-private partnership focused on investing in the future of quantum computing. The park, strategically located on a former United States Steel site on the South Side of Chicago, has $500 million in support from Governor J.B. Pritzker and the State of Illinois, and will feature unique infrastructure like a shared cryogenic facility, providing high-end equipment and facilities to those in the region looking to enhance their research. It will host key tenants like Psi Quantum, which aims to build a utility-scale quantum computer and will include a Workforce Development Center, a Quantum Algorithm Center, and the DARPA-Illinois Quantum Proving Ground (QPG) to drive research and innovation in the region.
Associate Dean for Research at the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Director of the Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park (IQMP) Harley Johnson hailed the establishment of the IQMP as a leap forward for the state, the region, and the nation in terms of its ability to lead in quantum science and microelectronics. This public-private partnership will be a cornerstone of the nation’s drive to remain the global leader in computing technologies.
The IQMP will be an entirely new campus dedicated to the scaling of quantum computing and related manufacturing and research. Dr. Johnson expects to have part of the facility operational within just two years, a testament to the level of investment, interest, and perceived importance of the IQMP’s work. The project has garnered support from Illinois state leadership, particularly Governor Pritzker, who committed $500 million towards the initiative as part of the FY2025 budget to attract federal and private dollars. Dr. Johnson noted that the park will be managed by a university research organization (URO) under the University of Illinois, which will serve as the central convener for the park, establishing governance and operational guidelines while fostering collaboration among various research institutions.
The park will be located on a 128-acre site along Lake Michigan, formerly a U.S. Steel plant, which has remained idle for decades. This strategic location will revitalize a historically industrial part of Chicago that has seen challenges in recent decades and become a new anchor within the burgeoning Illinois-Indiana quantum corridor. Being so close to a host of potential end-users in the Chicago metro area and the wider Midwest, the IQMP will attract talent and interest from across industries.
“We are excited about the opportunity to revitalize this area through a brand new industry.”
Dr. Harley Johnson
Associate Dean, Research, Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Director, Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park
A central feature of the IQMP will be its user facility, which Dr. Johnson likened to similar facilities at national labs. This space is designed to foster collaboration among researchers and companies by providing access to shared resources that they would otherwise have a difficult time securing, including a large-scale cryogenic facility necessary for quantum computing operations. He stated that this facility will offer industrial-scale cooling, capable of reaching temperatures down to millikelvin, with “Five times or ten times the capacity of all of the current cryo capacity in the state of Illinois.”
Psi Quantum is the park's first anchor tenant, which plans to construct the first utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer. Dr. Johnson noted the unique requirements of Psi Quantum's technology, which relies on silicon photonics and necessitates extensive cooling capabilities that the park is specifically designed to provide. In addition, he announced a partnership with DARPA, which sought to use the IQMP as a hub for their Quantum Benchmarking Initiative. Under this agreement, DARPA would contribute funding that the state of Illinois would match with $140 million. This funding is intended to incentivize companies and researchers to establish themselves at the park and to develop large-scale prototypes that will benefit from the shared cryogenic facilities.Additionally, the park will host a quantum algorithm center, where research activities will include the development of algorithms, software, and compiler technology.
Dr. Johnson also discussed the planned workforce development center at the park, which aims to equip a new generation of employees for the quantum industry. This center will cater to a wide range of educational backgrounds, training individuals from high school graduates to advanced-degree candidates, thereby helping address the pressing need for skilled workers of all skill levels in the rapidly evolving field of quantum technology.
In closing, Dr. Johnson reiterated the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to unlock the full potential of quantum technology. The IQMP represents an exciting opportunity to bridge the fields of microelectronics and quantum computing, which would fuel the greater innovation ecosystem of the region.