Microsoft reveals a breakthrough in quantum computing with the Majorana 1 chip.
Researchers have dedicated 17 years to working on this significant achievement.
Microsoft has made significant progress in the field of quantum computing, opening up the possibility for quantum computers to tackle large-scale industrial problems. For 17 years, the company has been developing a research project focused on creating a new material and architecture for quantum computing, and now it presents the Majorana 1 processor, its first quantum processor based on this innovative architecture.
At the core of a quantum computer are qubits, which are units of information similar to the binary bits used by traditional computers. Tech giants like IBM, Microsoft, and Google have been working hard to make qubits as reliable as binary bits, as they are more fragile and exposed to noise, which can lead to errors or data loss.
The Majorana 1 processor has the potential to integrate up to one million qubits into a single chip that is only slightly larger than the processors found in current desktop computers and servers. Instead of using electrons for processing, this new chip employs the Majorana particle, which was theorized by physicist Ettore Majorana in 1937. This advancement has been made possible by the creation of what Microsoft calls the "world's first topological superconductor," a new type of material capable of observing and controlling Majorana particles to generate more reliable qubits.
The findings of this research are detailed in a peer-reviewed article published in Nature, which outlines how researchers were able to develop the topological qubit. This advancement includes a new material composed of indium arsenide and aluminum, as well as the placement of eight topological qubits on a chip that is expected to scale to one million.
A chip with one million qubits could carry out more accurate simulations that enhance our understanding of the natural world and foster advancements in medicine and materials science. This has been the goal of quantum computing for years, and Microsoft is confident that its topological superconductor represents a major breakthrough in the field.
Zulfi Alam, corporate vice president of Microsoft for quantum computing, mentioned that this program has been the longest-running research endeavor in the company. After 17 years, they are presenting results that he considers not only incredible but also real, which will fundamentally redefine the next phase of their quantum journey.
Microsoft has formed a team of researchers, scientists, and technical experts who have dedicated years to this effort to build a scalable quantum computer based on topological qubits. Chetan Nayak, a technical expert at the company, noted that their approach was to envision what a transistor would look like in the quantum era and what properties were necessary for its operation.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has selected Microsoft as one of the two companies to advance to the final phase of its Underexplored Systems for Utility-Scale Quantum Computing (US2QC) project. Microsoft now aims to build a fault-tolerant quantum computer prototype based on topological qubits "in years, not decades."
Nayak asserted that a quantum computer with one million qubits is not just a milestone but a gateway to solving some of the world’s hardest problems. According to him, the path to useful quantum computing is clear, the fundamental technology has been proven, and its architecture is scalable. The new collaboration with DARPA reflects Microsoft’s commitment to relentless progress toward its goal: building a machine capable of driving scientific discovery and solving problems of significant impact.
