HiTIMe · Project

Quantum Materials That Could Redefine How We Measure Electric Current

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Imagine a material that conducts electricity only on its surface while acting as an insulator inside — like a chocolate truffle with a conductive shell. HiTIMe used these "topological insulator" materials to build tiny devices that can count individual electrons moving through a circuit, one by one. The goal was to create an ultra-precise way to define the ampere — the basic unit of electric current — using affordable tabletop equipment instead of massive national labs. Along the way, the team also explored how these materials behave at microwave frequencies, opening doors for precision sensors and future quantum computing components.

By the numbers

consortium partners

countries involved (IL, LV, SE, UK)

total project deliverables

demo deliverables with measurement data

industry partner in consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

National measurement institutes and precision instrument makers need practical, affordable ways to realize the redefined SI Ampere using quantum standards. Current setups are expensive and require large-scale facilities. Companies developing next-generation quantum devices also need materials with built-in error protection for more reliable quantum computation.

The solution

What was built

The team built nanoscale topological insulator devices and tested them at microwave frequencies. Specific deliverables include a 2-port nanoscale microwave imaging capability, topological insulator nanoribbons coupled to superconducting resonators, and RF-gated single-electron transistor devices — all validated with measurement data across 13 deliverables.

Audience

Who needs this

National measurement institutes (e.g., NIST, PTB, NPL) needing quantum current standardsPrecision calibration service providers seeking next-generation electrical standardsSemiconductor test equipment manufacturers (e.g., Keysight, Rohde & Schwarz)Quantum computing hardware companies needing topologically protected componentsCryogenic instrument manufacturers building tabletop measurement systems

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Metrology & Calibration

any

Target: National measurement institutes and calibration service providers

If you are a calibration lab or national measurement institute struggling with expensive, complex setups to realize electrical standards — this project developed topological insulator nanoribbon charge pumps designed to achieve quantum current standards at temperatures and magnetic fields reachable with affordable tabletop systems. This could dramatically reduce the cost and complexity of realizing the SI Ampere.

Semiconductor Test & Measurement

enterprise

Target: Manufacturers of precision measurement instruments

If you are an instrument manufacturer looking for next-generation sensing capabilities — this project built 2-port nanoscale microwave imaging and RF-gated single-electron transistor devices. These techniques enable measuring electronic properties at the nanoscale with microwave precision, potentially feeding into your next generation of high-frequency test equipment.

Quantum Computing Hardware

any

Target: Quantum technology startups and R&D divisions

If you are a quantum hardware company searching for materials that offer topological protection against errors — this project explored topological insulator nanoribbons coupled to superconducting resonators, a building block for topologically protected quantum computation. The 5-partner consortium across 4 countries tested device fabrication and microwave characterization methods you could build on.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would this technology cost to implement?

No budget data is available for this project. Since this is frontier research (FET Open funding), commercial pricing does not yet exist. The project objective mentions that the charge pump aims to work with 'affordable table-top systems,' suggesting lower infrastructure costs compared to current national-lab-scale setups, but no specific cost figures are provided.

Can this scale to industrial production?

Not yet. The project produced laboratory-scale nanoscale devices and measurement reports across 13 deliverables. Topological insulator nanoribbons and single-electron devices are still at the research stage. Scaling to commercial manufacturing would require significant further development in materials processing and device integration.

What is the IP and licensing situation?

The project was funded as a Research and Innovation Action under FET Open, with a consortium of 4 universities and 1 industry partner. IP generated would be governed by the Horizon 2020 grant agreement. Interested parties should contact the coordinator at Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden) to discuss licensing or collaboration.

How mature is this technology?

This is early-stage research. The 3 demo deliverables describe capability development — building 2-port nanoscale microwave imaging, measuring topological insulator nanoribbons in superconducting resonators, and testing RF-gated single-electron transistor devices. These are laboratory proof-of-concept experiments, not pilot deployments.

What standards or regulations does this address?

The core target is redefining the SI Ampere through a quantum current standard. The 2019 redefinition of SI units created demand for practical quantum realizations of electrical units. National measurement institutes worldwide need new methods to implement these standards, which is exactly what this project's charge pump technology addresses.

Can this integrate with existing measurement infrastructure?

The project specifically aimed to work at temperatures and magnetic fields achievable with affordable tabletop systems, rather than requiring large-scale cryogenic facilities. Based on available project data, the microwave measurement techniques use standard cryogenic probe-station setups, suggesting reasonable compatibility with existing precision measurement labs.

Who was involved in this research?

A consortium of 5 partners across 4 countries (Israel, Latvia, Sweden, UK), with 4 universities and 1 industry partner. The coordinator is Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden. The team combined expertise in materials science, device physics, microwave measurements, condensed matter theory, and electrical metrology.

Consortium

Who built it

The HiTIMe consortium is heavily academic: 4 universities and just 1 industry partner across 4 countries (Israel, Latvia, Sweden, UK), with zero SMEs and a 20% industry ratio. This composition reflects the frontier nature of the research — topological insulator devices are still far from commercial products. The coordinator, Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, is a well-regarded technical university. For a business looking to access this technology, the low industry involvement means there is no established commercial partner yet, which could represent either a challenge (no one has commercialized it) or an opportunity (first-mover advantage for the right partner willing to invest in further development).

CHALMERS TEKNISKA HOGSKOLA ABCoordinator · SE
NPL MANAGEMENT LIMITEDparticipant · UK
BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEVparticipant · IL
LATVIJAS UNIVERSITATEparticipant · LV
UNIVERSITY OF SURREYparticipant · UK

How to reach the team

Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden) — contact via CORDIS project page or university directory

Order a report on this consortium See CHALMERS TEKNISKA HOGSKOLA AB profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing topological insulator measurement technology or connecting with the HiTIMe team? SciTransfer can arrange an introduction and help evaluate the business fit.

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