Microsoft has revealed its first quantum computing chip, the Majorana 1.
It is the world’s first quantum chip powered by a new Topological Core, the style of which Microsoft says will have quantum computers solving real world problems on an industrial scale “in years, not decades”.
The chip utilises the worlds first topoconductor, a type of material which can observe and control Majorana particles to produce more reliable and scalable qubits.
Quibits are the base line for building quantum computers, and this new design, used by Microsoft to develop the Majorana 1 processor, could see a million qubits on a single chip small enough to fit in the palm of a hand.
Higher numbers of qubits typically make a quantum computer more susceptible to errors. Companies investing in quantum computing have been attempting to reduce the error rate of these devices. For example, Google’s Willow chip, showcased in December, boasted real-time error correction and fewer errors as the number of qubits used increased.
This kind of power is what would allow quantum computers to achieve things such as breaking down microplastics, inventing self-healing materials for construction, manufacturing or healthcare, with Microsoft stating that every computer in the world operating together “can’t do what a one-million-qubit quantum computer will be able to do.”
“Quantum computers promise to transform science and society — but only after they achieve the scale that once seemed distant and elusive, and their reliability is ensured by quantum error correction,” said Microsoft’s corporate vice president of Quantum Hardware Chetan Nayak. “Today, we’re announcing rapid advancements on the path to useful quantum computing.”
“Whatever you’re doing in the quantum space needs to have a path to a million qubits. If it doesn’t, you’re going to hit a wall before you get to the scale at which you can solve the really important problems that motivate us,” said Nayak.
“We have actually worked out a path to a million.”
Majorana 1 is able to scale to one million qubits, the smallest unit of data available for quantum computers. The chip uses a topoconductor, which can produce smaller digitally-controlled qubits.
The United States’ Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) chose Microsoft and PsiQuantum as its two finalists for a new utility-scale quantum computing development program earlier this month. DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative aims to verify whether utility-scale quantum computers can be built by 2033.
Microsoft said last year that it would partner with Atom Computing to offer a commercially available quantum computer, with deliveries expected in 2025.
The company’s projected next phase of its quantum computing strategy would see the development of high-quality topological qubits with an even further reduced error rate, under its 2023 roadmap.
Microsoft’s share price (NASDAQ: MSFT) closed at US$416.13, up from its previous close at $413.94. Its market capitalisation is $3.1 trillion.
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