Harvard researchers have achieved a significant breakthrough in the pursuit of stable and scalable quantum computing, a high-speed technology with the potential for transformative advances in fields like medicine, science, and finance. Led by Mikhail Lukin, the team has developed the first programmable logical quantum processor, capable of encoding up to 48 logical qubits and executing hundreds of logical gate operations, marking a substantial improvement over previous efforts.
Published in Nature and in collaboration with MIT and QuEra Computing, the system represents the first large-scale execution of algorithms on an error-corrected quantum computer. This marks a crucial step toward early fault-tolerant quantum computation, where reliability is paramount.
Mikhail Lukin compares this achievement to a potential inflection point similar to the early days of artificial intelligence. The concepts of quantum error correction and fault tolerance, previously theoretical, are now showing tangible progress.
Denise Caldwell from the National Science Foundation applauds the breakthrough as a feat of quantum engineering, emphasizing its potential transformative benefits for science and society. The achievement is the result of years of work on a quantum computing architecture using neutral atom arrays, a technology now being commercialized by QuEra.
The system’s core consists of ultra-cold, suspended rubidium atoms forming physical qubits that can be entangled mid-computation. Entangled pairs of atoms serve as gates, units of computing power. The logical quantum processor demonstrates parallel, multiplexed control of a patch of logical qubits, showcasing efficiency and scalability.
This breakthrough addresses a fundamental challenge in quantum computing—creating controllable logical qubits. The team’s work signifies a transition in the field, moving towards testing algorithms with error-corrected qubits instead of physical ones, paving the way for larger and more reliable quantum devices. The researchers aim to expand the types of operations on their 48 logical qubits and configure the system for continuous operation.
Source: Harvard University