IonQ issued new U.S. patents

IonQ (IONQ) announced significant advancements in its intellectual property portfolio. This is highlighted by the issuance of new U.S. patents that further solidify its technological advantage in trapped-ion quantum computing. These new patents contribute to IonQ’s expanding IP estate, which now totals over 1,000 licensed, owned, or controlled patents as well as patent applications. This patent enables portable quantum memory packages to store and connect photons to help build secure, long-distance quantum communication networks. This patent relates to a quantum repeater comprising quantum memories configured to receive a photon to be stored in the quantum memories or provide a photon to a recipient outside of the outer package. Quantum memories provide a method of receiving, storing, and providing quantum information. In some cases, quantum memories may be deployed for use in large-scale optical fiber networks and/or quantum entanglement networks, for example as quantum repeaters, that store and effectively connect distributed entangled particles to provide secure, long-distance communications. This other patent relates to a quantum memory device comprising a 3D photonic structure configured to transport light between an optical fiber and the quantum memories, wherein the 3D photonic structure comprises photonic waveguide layers that have been photonically coupled via a self-aligned fabrication process. Accurate 3D alignment of multiple photonic materials may be obtained via self-aligned fabrication processes of this disclosure without the need for finely tuned alignment procedures.