Imec achieves world-first density in superconducting circuits

At the 2026 Applied Superconductivity Conference (ASC), imec demonstrated a world-first superconducting circuit density, achieving 3.8 million Josephson junctions per square centimeter. The technology utilizes a three-metal-level (3ML) niobium-titanium-nitride (NbTiN) base, with the smallest junctions measuring 150 nanometers across.

In addition to the high junction density, imec showcased NbTiN routing with superconducting wires scaled down to a 30nm linewidth. This represents a significant reduction in size compared to conventional niobium-based superconducting technology.

The research aims to advance high-performance computing (HPC) and AI applications. Superconducting technology is projected to potentially outperform current CMOS technology by offering up to 100x better energy efficiency and 1,000x improvements in both compute density and broadcast bandwidth. Beyond HPC and AI, the program targets applications in quantum compute control logic, photonics, neuromorphic computing, and high-resolution single photon detection.