TCS, IIT-Bombay join hands to build India's first Quantum Diamond Microchip Imager

IT major Tata Consultancy Services and Indian Institute of Technology Bombay have joined hands to build India' first advanced sensing tool for semiconductor chips which is expected to reduce chances of chip failures and improve the efficiency of electronic devices, the company said on Tuesday.

Collaboration between TCS and IIT-Bombay to develop a quantum imaging platform for the non-destructive examination of chips is the first such initiative in India, the company said in a statement.

"TCS has entered a strategic partnership with the IIT-Bombay, to develop India's first Quantum Diamond Microchip Imager. This advanced sensing tool will hold the potential to unlock new levels of precision in the examination of semiconductor chips and reduce chip failures," it said.

Over the next two years, experts from TCS will work with Kasturi Saha, Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering of IIT-Bombay to develop the quantum imaging platform in the PQuest Lab.

"PQuest group at IIT Bombay is excited to collaborate with TCS on developing a quantum imaging platform for the non-destructive examination of chips, leveraging our extensive expertise in quantum sensing to drive innovation. By working together, we aim to transform various sectors, including electronics and healthcare, and propel India forward through groundbreaking technologies,” Saha said.

The Quantum Diamond Microchip Imager can image magnetic fields that will enable a non-invasive and non-destructive mapping of semiconductor chips much like anI at a hospital.

The imager uses the defects in a diamond's structure, known as Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) centres, together with the other hardware and software for detecting and characterizing anomalies in semiconductor chips.

“Our collaboration with IIT Bombay is perfectly aligned with the National Quantum Mission's Quantum Sensing and Metrology vertical. We firmly believe this initiative will have a transformative impact on various industries and society, with applications ranging from electronics to healthcare, and beyond,” TCS, Chief Technology Officer, Harrick Vin said.