A new breakthrough in quantum computing has been achieved by scientists at Quantinuum, surpassing Google’s Sycamore machine by 100-fold in “quantum supremacy.” The new 56-qubit H2-1 computer has shown remarkable performance levels and qubit quality in various experiments conducted by the researchers. This achievement was highlighted in a study uploaded to the arXiv preprint database on June 4, although it has not yet undergone peer review.
Quantum computers operate in parallel, thanks to the principles of quantum mechanics and qubit entanglement, allowing for faster calculations compared to classical computers. By adding more qubits to the system, the computational power of the machine increases exponentially. Scientists believe that quantum computers will eventually be able to solve complex problems in seconds that would take classical supercomputers thousands of years to complete. However, achieving practical “quantum supremacy” would require a quantum computer with millions of qubits, while the current largest machine only has around 1,000 qubits.
The team at Quantinuum tested the fidelity of the H2-1 computer’s output using the linear cross entropy benchmark (XEB), which yielded an impressive score of approximately 0.35. This means that the H2 quantum computer can produce error-free results 35% of the time. The researchers are focused on developing universal fault-tolerant quantum computers, with a strong emphasis on improving qubit reliability rather than simply increasing the number of qubits.
Quantinuum had previously collaborated with Microsoft to demonstrate “logical qubits” with significantly lower error rates than physical qubits. In a study published in April, the researchers showcased experiments with logical qubits that had an error rate of just 1 in 100,000, compared to the 1-in-100 error rate of physical qubits.
The progress made in quantum computing is a result of years of research and investment, leading to advancements that were previously thought to be out of reach. The potential for fault-tolerant quantum computers may be achievable sooner than expected, as demonstrated by the recent breakthroughs in qubit reliability and error correction techniques.
Overall, the advancements in quantum computing represent a significant leap forward in the field, with the potential to revolutionize computational capabilities and solve complex problems at an unprecedented speed. As researchers continue to push the boundaries of quantum technology, we can expect further breakthroughs that will shape the future of computing.
