A team of researchers at Microsoft Quantum has made significant progress in their pursuit of developing a reliable and practical quantum computer.
Their groundbreaking work, published in the journal Physical Review B, outlines a major milestone achieved and reveals their ambitious plans for constructing a dependable quantum computer within the next quarter-century.
Quantum computing has long been the focus of physicists and computer engineers aiming to build a powerful and reliable system.
However, the advancement of this technology has been impeded by high error rates.
Microsoft’s research team, however, suggests that the trajectory of quantum computer development follows a similar path to that of traditional computers.
Similar to the evolution of classical computing, which began with novel concepts and underwent multiple hardware upgrades, the researchers propose that current methods used to represent logical qubits, such as spin transmons or gatemons, serve as valuable learning tools but lack scalability.
They assert that a new approach is necessary to enable scaling and further progress in quantum computing.
In an exciting development, the team announces their successful engineering of a novel method to represent a logical qubit with enhanced hardware stability.
Through this innovation, the device can induce a phase of matter characterized by Majorana zero modes, a specific type of fermions.
Additionally, the researchers report that these devices have demonstrated minimal disorder, meeting the requirements of the topological gap protocol and affirming the viability of this technology.
This achievement marks a crucial initial step toward realizing not only a quantum computer but also a quantum supercomputer.
New Metric Measures Quantum Supercomputer Performance
Microsoft also reveals the introduction of a groundbreaking metric to evaluate the performance of quantum supercomputers: reliable quantum operations per second (rQOPS).
This metric quantifies the number of dependable operations a computer can execute within a single second.
The company suggests that for a machine to be classified as a quantum supercomputer, it must achieve an rQOPS value of at least 1 million.
Remarkably, future machines have the potential to reach a billion rQOPS, demonstrating their practicality and usefulness.
With the announcement of this significant breakthrough, the scientific community and technology enthusiasts are abuzz with anticipation.
The researchers at Microsoft Quantum have not only pushed the boundaries of quantum computing but have also presented a promising roadmap for its future development.
The realization of a reliable quantum computer holds tremendous potential for solving complex problems that traditional computers struggle with, such as cryptography, optimization, and molecular simulations.
Microsoft’s innovative approach to representing logical qubits and their establishment of the rQOPS metric signify critical advancements toward making this groundbreaking technology accessible and practical.
As the research team embarks on the next phase of their ambitious project, which spans the next 25 years, the world eagerly awaits the realization of a fully functional quantum computer.
With their unwavering commitment to innovation, Microsoft Quantum is poised to shape the future of computing and unlock extraordinary possibilities for scientific and technological advancements.
FAQ
The team at Microsoft Quantum has achieved a significant milestone in creating a reliable and practical quantum computer. They have successfully engineered a new method to represent a logical qubit with enhanced hardware stability.
A qubit, short for quantum bit, is the fundamental unit of information in quantum computing. Unlike classical bits that can be either 0 or 1, qubits can exist in a superposition of both states simultaneously, allowing for parallel processing and exponential computational power.
Microsoft Quantum acknowledges that current approaches used to represent logical qubits have been useful for learning purposes but lack scalability. The team has developed a new approach that enables the representation of logical qubits with enhanced hardware stability, paving the way for future advancements in quantum computing.
Majorana zero modes are types of fermions that characterize a phase of matter induced by the logical qubits in Microsoft Quantum’s new approach. These modes play a crucial role in achieving stability and reliability in quantum systems.
The researchers at Microsoft Quantum have conducted experiments to assess the disorder levels in their devices. They confirm that the devices demonstrate low enough disorder to pass the topological gap protocol, providing evidence of the technology’s viability.
rQOPS stands for reliable quantum operations per second. It is a new metric introduced by Microsoft to gauge the performance of quantum supercomputers. It measures the number of reliable operations a quantum computer can perform in a single second.
According to Microsoft, a machine needs to achieve an rQOPS value of at least 1 million to be considered a quantum supercomputer. However, the company anticipates that future machines could reach a billion rQOPS, making them exceptionally powerful and practical for various applications.
A reliable quantum computer has the potential to solve complex problems that traditional computers struggle with. This includes tasks such as cryptography, optimization, molecular simulations, and tackling large-scale data analysis challenges.
Microsoft Quantum’s research team envisions a timeline of approximately 25 years to build a reliable quantum computer. They are committed to a long-term effort to overcome challenges and make significant progress in the field of quantum computing.
The successful development of a reliable quantum computer would unlock tremendous potential for scientific and technological advancements. It could revolutionize fields such as drug discovery, weather modeling, optimization in logistics and transportation, and the development of advanced artificial intelligence algorithms.
More information: Physical Review B (2023). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.107.245423, Microsoft blog post: cloudblogs.microsoft.com/quant … antum-supercomputer/
