IonQ Tops 1,000-Patent Mark With Quantum Networking Breakthroughs

IonQ said on Aug. 20 it has been granted additional U.S. patents covering secure long-distance quantum networking and a self-aligned fabrication process for photonic waveguides, lifting the company’s intellectual-property estate to 1,060 granted patents and pending applications. The networking patent describes portable quantum-memory packages that can function as repeaters, a key building block for secure, large-scale quantum communication. The fabrication patent outlines a method for precisely aligning photonic layers inside quantum memory devices, aiming to simplify manufacturing and improve performance. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Niccolo de Masi called the milestone proof of the company’s strategy to own core quantum technologies, while engineering chief Dean Kassmann said the new patents strengthen IonQ’s roadmap to deliver scalable, enterprise-grade quantum systems. The total includes assets from subsidiaries Lightsynq Technologies and IDQ as well as intellectual property tied to the pending acquisition of Oxford Ionics.