Microsoft has announced a significant milestone in quantum computing with the unveiling of Majorana 1, the first quantum processor based on topological qubits. This achievement is the result of over 17 years of research aimed at developing new materials and architectures for quantum computing.
Unlike traditional qubits, which are highly sensitive to external interference, Majorana 1 uses Majorana fermions —particles predicted in 1937 by physicist Ettore Majorana and experimentally confirmed in 2012. These particles are unique because they act as their own antiparticles and combine the properties of semiconductors and superconductors, making them more resilient to errors.
As part of this project, Microsoft created the "world's first topological superconductor," a new material that can detect and manipulate Majorana particles to produce more stable qubits. The current version of the Majorana 1 chip contains eight topological qubits, but Microsoft aims to scale the technology to eventually fit a million qubits onto a single chip.
Such a powerful processor would enable highly accurate simulations, driving advancements in fields like medicine, materials science, and our understanding of nature.
Microsoft claims that the result of the research opens a new era of computing. "... the unique combination of properties and features of our new material allowed us to create a new type of qubit and, ultimately, our entire architecture.", said the company.
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Great summary, Sergey. It’s actually a little more informative than the MS announcement text itself. Thanks!
–Ed–
Thank you.
You know it means a lot for me to hear such words from you!