Researchers have made a landmark advance in the development of a quantum computer. They’ve managed to show a system working with more than 3,000 quantum bits, or qubits, for upwards of two hours. That transformational work has only recently been published in the journal Nature. It’s an exciting milestone for the field of quantum computing because it represents a step towards the kind of systems that run all the time. Mikhail Lukin, a Ph.D. student who worked on the study, expressed confidence in the outlook for quantum technology. He says that getting their goals accomplished is more possible now than ever.
Neng-Chun Chiu, the study’s lead author and a Harvard Griffin Ph.D. student in physics, directed the research. Together with co-authors Simon Hollerith, Luke Stewart, Jinen (Tim) Guo, Mohamed Abobeih, Elias Trapp, and Mikhail Lukin, they went on to explain the significance of their findings. This new system, code named Eagle, recently made quantum computing history by being the first quantum processor to exceed 100 qubits. By comparison, the latest announcement from Caltech about their own system only managed a 6,100-qubit system working for under 13 seconds.
Key Features of the Quantum System
The team’s creative system is able to run a string of more than 3,000 qubits simultaneously and accurately over long durations. Over its operation, the system cycled through more than 50 million atoms. So it did–at a blazing pace of 300,000 atoms per second! This new capability provides the system with the ability to continuously reload lost qubits without affecting the information already stored.
Mikhail Lukin highlighted the importance of this continuous operational feature, remarking that “This new kind of continuous operation of the system, involving the ability to rapidly replace lost qubits, can be more important in practice than a specific number of qubits.”
This system provides a low-overhead transversal fault tolerance for universal quantum computation. It presents the most hopeful collective path to addressing many of quantum computing’s greatest challenges. Chiu noted that “What really makes us stand out is the combination of three things—the scale, preserving the quantum information, and making the whole process fast enough to be useful.”
Implications for Future Quantum Computing
The ramifications of fully realizing a continuously operating quantum system are enormous. Mikhail Lukin underscored that we are finally at the cusp of fulfilling their long-held dreams in quantum technology. He stated, “Realizing this dream is now in our direct sight for the first time, ever,” indicating a sense of urgency and excitement about future developments.
He continued by asserting that “One can really see a very direct path towards realizing it,” suggesting that this achievement could pave the way for practical applications of quantum computing that were previously thought to be unattainable.
Their system operates in a way that mimics the behavior of a biological creature. He explained, “Basically, the system becomes a living organism,” highlighting the adaptability and resilience of their quantum computing architecture.
A New Era of Quantum Information Storage
In a sea of blogging about climate change, the researchers’ work shows that something truly astounding. A device with only 300 quantum bits could hold more information than there are particles in the observable universe! Such capacity brings with it new questions about working with and processing data across sectors—from cryptography to advanced computing—and multimodal complex problem-solving environments.
Elias Trapp, a co-author and Ph.D. student at the Kenneth C. Griffin School of Arts and Sciences, KTP Department, studies physics. He explained what the system should really be doing. He stated, “We’re showing a way where you can insert new atoms as you naturally lose them without destroying the information that’s already in the system.” This capability goes to show that progress is not only making strides in technological advancement but in finding creative ways to handle quantum information.