Oxford Instruments plc

Summary

A quantum chip is only as useful as the tiny structures its manufacturer can make reliably. Oxford Instruments supplies equipment for depositing and removing material at very small scales, alongside instruments that help researchers inspect and analyse samples. Rigetti’s May 2026 selection of its atomic-layer-etch equipment is a concrete example of the quantum connection. The group’s broader business spans imaging, analysis and advanced fabrication; it sold its NanoScience cryogenics operation in January 2026.

Customer benefits

• Controlled deposition and etching help developers reproduce delicate device structures as they refine a manufacturing process.
• Imaging and analytical instruments help scientists understand why a material or component behaves as it does.
• Service and application support help customers keep installed equipment useful throughout research and production programmes.

What sets it apart

Process knowledge matters alongside the machine itself. A customer needs an instrument that works with particular materials, recipes and measurement requirements, and application support can help make that combination productive. The installed equipment base creates service opportunities, but scientific funding decisions and semiconductor investment cycles still affect orders. Quantum exposure does not remove those dependencies.

Growth plans

Oxford Instruments is expanding production to meet stronger demand for its fabrication equipment. In October 2026 it reported first-half order growth of nearly 44%, with reported revenue up about 8%. Much of the Advanced Technologies demand came from data communications, so the growth story extends beyond quantum applications.