German quantum sensing company QuantumDiamonds GmbH has announced an investment of more than €150 million to establish a production facility for quantum-based chip metrology systems. The facility, planned for eastern Munich, is expected to receive significant public support from the German federal and Bavarian governments under the European Chips Act.
QuantumDiamonds, a spin-off from the Technical University of Munich, develops and commercialises quantum sensing technologies for semiconductor metrology and failure analysis. Its patented Quantum Diamond Microscopy (QDM) systems are used by foundries and integrated device manufacturers worldwide.
The company recently reported that QDM can identify internal defects in commercial package-on-package devices that are not detected by conventional techniques such as lock-in thermography and CT X-ray imaging. QuantumDiamonds says these results have contributed to increased demand for its systems. Initial deployments have been completed in Europe, with additional installations planned for Q1 2026 in the United States and Taiwan to support development and qualification work at major semiconductor manufacturers.
QDM systems use nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centres in diamond to map electrical current with micrometre-level precision in a non-destructive manner and on short timescales, including within complex chip packages. The company positions this capability as relevant for advanced 2.5D and 3D architectures used in AI, mobile, and automotive electronics.
According to Kevin Berghoff, CEO and co-founder of QuantumDiamonds, the investment marks the company’s shift toward global production:
We’re building the tools the chip industry needs to inspect what was previously invisible—and doing it in Germany, with European IP and talent.
The Munich site is expected to include sensor production lines for quantum-grade diamond substrates, cleanroom integration for QDM inspection systems, and joint development laboratories with semiconductor partners, alongside application support for fab integration and inline process control.
The project has been designated as a first-of-a-kind facility under the European Chips Act. After evaluating alternative locations in the United States, including Phoenix, Arizona, the company selected Germany as its industrial base, citing access to specialised expertise, an established supply chain ecosystem, and public–private innovation frameworks in Europe.
QuantumDiamonds has also received a start-of-works confirmation, indicating that construction can begin without affecting future eligibility for public funding, and allowing the company to proceed with activities such as equipment procurement and facility preparations.
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