COLLEGE PARK, MD, August 20, 2025 -- IonQ, the leading commercial quantum computing and quantum networking company, today announced significant advancements in its intellectual property portfolio. This milestone is highlighted by the issuance of new U.S. patents that further solidify its technological advantage in trapped-ion quantum computing. These new patents contribute to IonQ’s rapidly expanding IP estate, which now totals over 1,000 licensed, owned, or controlled patents as well as patent applications.

"IonQ’s robust and growing portfolio of patents is a direct result of the strategy set forth years ago, which entails developing and owning quantum technologies across multiple industries and applications," said Niccolo de Masi, Chairman and CEO of IonQ. "These patents position IonQ to continue to develop scalable, high-performance, cost effective systems that accelerate the timeline for unparalleled commercial quantum advantage."

IonQ has made deliberate, strategic technological and architectural choices to uniquely balance the core elements of commercial advantage: performance, scale, and enterprise-grade capabilities. Its most recent patent grants further build upon IonQ’s existing technical achievements, which include quantum circuit optimization, improved gate operations, reduced noise, error mitigation techniques, and multi-beam improvements.

IonQ's latest patents underscore the company’s commitment to advancing the fundamental building blocks of quantum systems, from precision control to scalable architectures. Two exemplary patents highlight the company's innovative prowess in trapped-ion quantum computing and quantum networking.

Secure Long-Distance Quantum Networking: This patent enables portable quantum memory packages to store and connect photons to help build secure, long-distance quantum communication networks.

• US 12,260,113 - PORTABLE QUANTUM MEMORY PACKAGE FOR QUANTUM NETWORK NODES - Issued March 25, 2025

This patent relates to a quantum repeater comprising quantum memories configured to receive a photon to be stored in the quantum memories or provide a photon to a recipient outside of the outer package. Quantum memories provide a method of receiving, storing, and providing quantum information. In some cases, quantum memories may be deployed for use in large-scale optical fiber networks and/or quantum entanglement networks, for example as quantum repeaters, that store and effectively connect distributed entangled particles to provide secure, long-distance communications.

Self-Aligned Fabrication Process: This patent introduces a self-aligning process to transport light and couple photonic layers inside quantum memory devices.

• US 12,265,254 - SELF-ALIGNED FABRICATION PROCESS FOR COUPLING OF PHOTONIC WAVEGUIDE - Issued April 1, 2025

This patent relates to a quantum memory device comprising a 3D photonic structure configured to transport light between an optical fiber and the quantum memories, wherein the 3D photonic structure comprises photonic waveguide layers that have been photonically coupled via a self-aligned fabrication process. Accurate 3D alignment (e.g., nanometer-scale alignment) of multiple photonic materials may be obtained via self-aligned fabrication processes of this disclosure without the need for finely tuned alignment procedures.

"Our technical achievements and patents provide a clear indication of how IonQ’s research and development teams are driving the production of scalable, high-performance, enterprise-grade systems,” said Dean Kassmann, SVP of Engineering & Technology at IonQ. “These patents signal to the industry our strong technical innovations and our strategic, well-considered path towards performance that provides commercial quantum advantage over classical computing."

By continuously strengthening its IP, IonQ is not only protecting its core advancements but also laying the groundwork for future generations of quantum systems. The company’s recent acquisitions have further broadened the scope of patents owned by IonQ as depicted in this overview of its intellectual property portfolio: