Growing Australian small cap, Archer Materials Limited, has announced the granting of a Republic of Korea patent associated with the company’s ¹²CQ quantum computing chip technology.

The Korean Patent is a significant commercial milestone in the development of the ¹²CQ chip and in the Company’s efforts to access global markets. South Korea is a major global manufacturer and exporter of semiconductor chip devices, with its conglomerates, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, among the top producers of semiconductors in the world.

The KR Patent application successfully underwent substantive examination procedures by the Korean Intellectual Property Office, which has over 1 million patents in force. 

South Korea has the highest number of patents per unit of GDP and the country files patents most heavily in electronic equipment (top ranked globally) and computing technology. Together with the US and China, South Korea is one of the most competitive jurisdictions for patent granting.

Patent protection in South Korea is required for any future commercial operations in the country and provides Archer with access to a top 5 innovation economy to exploit IP rights related to the ¹²CQ chip with a duration of patent right up until Dec 2036.

South Korea has named investment in its world-leading semiconductor industry, with the country committing to invest US$450 billion through to 2030, the bulk of which coming from companies, including US$150 billion by Samsung Electronics and US$200 billion by SK Hynix.

Archer will need patent protection in South Korea if the Company is to participate in the country’s semiconductor industry.

Commenting on the grant of the South Korean patent, Archer CEO Dr Mohammad Choucair said: “Archer’s quantum computing chip IP is now well protected in South Korea – home to some of the world’s largest chipmakers, and a critical part of the global semiconductor supply chain.

“We now have ¹²CQ chip patents granted in Japan and South Korea, with patent applications in the US, China, and Europe progressing well.

“To realise the full commercial benefits of the ¹²CQ technology globally, Archer’s IP strategy includes patent protection in Asia, and especially, South Korea. This is because South Korea’s semiconductor industry is one of the world’s best, while Asia as a whole dominates in semiconductor manufacturing, where close to 80% of all chips are produced.

“The global economy’s transformation includes the semiconductor industry becoming key to almost all industrial areas. Archer is ensuring its participation in this transformation, with Archer being one of few companies in the world with a patent portfolio protecting quantum computing chip technology.”

¹²CQ is a world-first quantum computing processor chip technology

The Japanese Patent was the first granted patent protecting the ¹²CQ chip (ASX ann. 20 Jan 2021). The patent granting process and procedures for the additional five international patent applications in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Europe, and the US, continue to progress.

Archer is a technology company that builds advanced semiconductor devices, including processor chips that are relevant to quantum computing. Archer’s ¹²CQ chip is a world-first qubit processor technology that would allow for mobile quantum computing powered devices.