Image of an EeroQ quantum device for single electron trapping and control. Credit: Eeroq
EeroQ has reported a significant experimental breakthrough for its electron-on-helium quantum computing platform, publishing results this week in Physical Review X that could ease one of the biggest engineering challenges in building scalable quantum systems: extreme cooling requirements.
In the paper, Sensing and Control of Single Trapped Electrons Above 1 Kelvin, EeroQ researchers describe the first demonstration of trapping, detecting, and controlling individual electrons on superfluid helium at temperatures exceeding 1 K. This marks an increase of more than two orders of magnitude over previous experiments, which typically required dilution refrigerator temperatures near 10 millikelvin.
The experiments were conducted using on-chip superconducting microwave circuits, a technique compatible with existing superconducting quantum hardware. According to EeroQ, the results validate long-standing theoretical predictions that electron-on-helium qubits could deliver both long coherence times and simplified system integration.
Today’s leading quantum platforms, including superconducting and spin-based qubits, operate close to absolute zero to minimize thermal noise. Maintaining these ultra-low temperatures poses scaling difficulties, both in terms of heat dissipation and refrigeration infrastructure. Demonstrating coherent electron control above 1 K could significantly relax those requirements, reducing barriers to building larger, more practical processors.
Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Chicago, EeroQ is developing a processor architecture based on single electrons floating on superfluid helium—a system that provides one of the cleanest environments in physics. The company’s long-term roadmap combines this approach with standard superconducting circuits, aiming to deliver quantum computers that combine scalability with practical operating conditions.
A press release provided by EeroQ announcing this development can be seen here and the technical paper is available on the Physical Review X website here.
October 4, 2025
