Arthur McMiler 
- PsiQuantum’s 8×8 demonstration switch recorded 1.2 dB typical insertion loss in lab tests
- Select prospective customers are receiving samples ahead of commercial product launches
- The switch builds on silicon photonics PsiQuantum developed for quantum computing
PsiQuantum announced Wednesday that it plans to introduce commercial optical switching products for artificial intelligence data centers in the coming months, after sharing samples of a demonstration unit built on the silicon photonics platform it developed for quantum computing with a small group of prospective buyers.
The Palo Alto, California-based company has unveiled the 8×8 radix switch, its first publicly disclosed optical circuit switching device, which is aimed at the networking demands of expanding AI infrastructure.
What Did Lab Testing Show About the Optical Circuit Switch?
In internal evaluations, the device typically recorded 1.2 decibels of insertion loss, 40 dB of crosstalk and reconfiguration times below 3 milliseconds, according to the company. PsiQuantum said each result beat the original performance goals for the switch and was reached without signal amplification. The company also cited loss figures as low as 1 dB, which it described as industry leading.
Rob Soderbery, executive vice president at PsiQuantum, said the demonstration shows the platform can deliver strong switching performance for AI computing. Soderbery joined the company in July in a leadership expansion that also confirmed Victor Peng as permanent CEO, with responsibility for extending its photonics work into AI networking and other next-generation computing infrastructure.
Why Is PsiQuantum Bringing Quantum Photonics to AI Networks?
According to PsiQuantum, many of the specifications it has pursued for fault-tolerant quantum computing are stricter than what optical switches in AI data centers demand. As AI compute clusters expand, the networks tying them together face mounting pressure, and the computing sector is moving toward optics for faster and more efficient links, the company said.
PsiQuantum characterized the two fields as complementary: more efficient AI systems can speed how quantum machines are designed, controlled and operated, while engineering gains from quantum research can relieve AI infrastructure bottlenecks.
Peng tied the commercial opening to the company’s early focus on difficult engineering problems.
“This opportunity exists because we chose to solve the hardest scaling problems at the beginning of our roadmap to utility-scale quantum computing,” Peng said. He added that PsiQuantum will keep working toward its long-term goal of fielding the first fault-tolerant quantum systems capable of practical work.
What Role Does Barium Titanate Play in PsiQuantum’s Switch Roadmap?
PsiQuantum has also integrated barium titanate, or BTO, on 300-millimeter wafers and runs a 64×64 BTO switch inside its quantum systems. Neither the demonstration unit nor the first commercial products rely on the material, which the company said reflects the capability of its base silicon photonics technology. PsiQuantum said BTO gives it a separate route toward faster, more advanced switching products later.
How Has Federal Funding Supported PsiQuantum’s Optical Switch Work?
The switch debut follows PsiQuantum’s September signing of definitive documentation with the Department of Commerce, finalizing a $100 million award under the CHIPS and Science Act. The money will fund research, development and domestic production of critical components, including high-performance optical switches, single-photon detectors and advanced packaging approaches.
PsiQuantum was one of nine companies Commerce selected in May to share more than $2 billion in incentives intended to strengthen domestic quantum computing efforts.
What Other Government and Industry Work Is PsiQuantum Pursuing?
In July, PsiQuantum signed a $125 million agreement that broadened its participation in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, which assesses commercial paths to utility-scale quantum computing. The company has also worked with the Air Force Research Laboratory since 2022 on semiconductor manufacturing and silicon photonics.
In the defense sector, PsiQuantum and Lockheed Martin signed a memorandum of understanding in November 2025 to develop quantum algorithms for aerospace and defense uses. Lockheed opened its Quantum Innovation Center in September to consolidate its quantum research, development and prototyping activities.
PsiQuantum has also selected Jacobs as owner’s representative for its quantum computing facility at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in Chicago, a project supported by a $500 million state incentive package.
