Munich-based quantum sensing company QuantumDiamonds GmbH has unveiled plans to invest more than €150 million in a new manufacturing and development site dedicated to quantum-enabled semiconductor inspection technologies.
The facility is planned for eastern Munich and is expected to receive significant public backing from both the German federal government and the State of Bavaria under the framework of the European Chips Act.
From University Spin-Off To Industrial Scale
Founded as a spin-off from the Technical University of Munich, QuantumDiamonds develops quantum sensing solutions designed specifically for advanced semiconductor metrology and failure analysis.
At the core of its offering is Quantum Diamond Microscopy (QDM), a patented inspection technology already adopted by leading semiconductor foundries and integrated device manufacturers worldwide.
The company says demand for QDM systems is accelerating as chipmakers struggle to inspect increasingly complex architectures using conventional tools.
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Seeing What Traditional Tools Miss
QuantumDiamonds’ technology leverages nitrogen-vacancy centres in diamond, enabling non-destructive mapping of electrical currents inside chips with micrometre-level precision.
This approach allows engineers to identify internal defects that are typically invisible to existing inspection methods, particularly in 2.5D and 3D chip architectures now common in AI processors, automotive electronics, and high-performance mobile devices.
Early deployments have already been completed across Europe, with commercial installations in the United States and Taiwan scheduled for Q1 2026.
A Strategic Shift Toward Global Manufacturing
According to Kevin Berghoff, CEO and co-founder of QuantumDiamonds, the investment marks a pivotal transition for the company.
The new site will support global-scale production while anchoring critical semiconductor inspection capabilities — and intellectual property — in Europe.
The Munich facility will include:
- Dedicated production lines for quantum-grade diamond sensors
- Cleanroom environments for assembling and integrating QDM systems
- Joint R&D labs with semiconductor manufacturing partners
- Application and support teams focused on fab integration and inline process control
Why Germany Won The Site Selection
QuantumDiamonds evaluated potential locations in both Europe and the United States before selecting Germany. The company cited Germany’s strong semiconductor ecosystem, skilled talent base, resilient supply chains, and public–private innovation environment as decisive factors.
The project has been designated “first-of-a-kind” under the European Chips Act, allowing construction and equipment procurement to begin ahead of final funding approvals while maintaining eligibility for public support.
Strengthening Europe’s Semiconductor Stack
As chipmakers push toward ever more complex packaging and integration strategies, inspection and metrology are emerging as critical bottlenecks.
QuantumDiamonds’ investment aligns with Europe’s broader ambition to strengthen domestic semiconductor capabilities — not only in manufacturing, but across the entire value chain, including advanced inspection and process control.
About QuantumDiamonds
Founded in 2022, QuantumDiamonds GmbH develops cutting-edge quantum sensing solutions for semiconductor metrology and failure analysis. Its Quantum Diamond Microscopy technology enables non-destructive inspection of next-generation chips, supporting advances in heterogeneous integration, advanced packaging, and high-performance semiconductor applications.
