Q.InC is partnering with the Quantum Sensing Centre, managed by DSO National Laboratories, to develop wafer-scale vapour cells in Singapore.

This collaboration marks an important step towards building local industrial capabilities in a critical quantum component and supporting the development of resilient Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) solutions.

From shipping and aviation to power grids, financial infrastructure, and defence applications, accurate positioning and timing play a critical role in the systems we rely on every day. As reliance on satellite-based navigation continues to grow, developing technologies that can operate when GPS signals are limited, disrupted, or unreliable has become increasingly important.

Quantum sensors, including magnetometers, atomic clocks, and gyroscopes, offer new opportunities to enhance precision, stability, and performance. At the core of many of these technologies is the vapour cell, a key component enabling high-performance sensing systems.

Through wafer-scale manufacturing, Q.InC aims to address a key challenge in scaling quantum technologies from laboratory research to real-world deployment: manufacturability.

By leveraging advanced semiconductor manufacturing processes, wafer-scale vapour cells can enable:

• Miniaturisation – supporting the development of chip-scale quantum devices;

• Energy efficiency – enabling low-power, room-temperature operation; and

• Scalability and cost efficiency – allowing hundreds of consistent vapour cells to be produced on a single wafer.

Beyond resilient PNT, this technology platform has potential applications across areas such as defence, healthcare, and precision agriculture.

Upon completion of the project with DSO, Q.InC’s wafer-scale vapour cell programme will be commercialised through a dedicated venture spin-out, bringing Singapore-made quantum hardware to market.

“The next breakthrough in quantum sensing will be focused on improving the yield and economics of devices. Making cells by the hundreds, identically, on one wafer is the real unsolved problem, one that we uniquely address using advanced semiconductor processes.” – Dr Leo Krivitskiy, Senior Principal Scientist, Q.InC

“Resilient PNT stops being a line in a strategy paper the moment you can't source the hardware to deliver it. Building that capability locally, before you urgently need it, is the entire point.” – Eric W. Cao, Entrepreneur Partner, Q.InC

“The Quantum Sensing Centre is excited to be partnering with Q.InC on wafer-scale vapour cell fabrication. This is a significant step towards building industrial capability in a critical quantum component.” – Cheng Kok Ping, Executive Director, Quantum Sensing Centre

This milestone reflects Q.InC’s broader mission to translate foundational quantum research into real-world applications and support the growth of Singapore’s quantum technology ecosystem.

Through collaborations across research and industry, Q.InC continues to advance capabilities that bridge scientific innovation and deployable quantum technologies.