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The era of quantum supremacy is here

Researchers highlight successes and challenges of quantum computing in the NISQ era, a period where quantum computers approach evidence of quantum supremacy. Key findings include the development of new strategies to reduce measurement errors and the demonstration of programmability on quantum computers.

A spookily good sensor

Scientists at Japan Science and Technology Agency developed a method to couple a magnetic sphere with a sensor using quantum entanglement, enabling single-shot detection of magnetic excitations. The device's sensitivity is comparable to that of theoretical dark-matter particles, opening new avenues for research.

Schrödinger's cat with 20 qubits

Scientists have created a new record by entangling 20 quantum bits in a 'Schrödinger's cat' state, exceeding the previous limit of 14 qubits. The team used a programmable quantum simulator to control and manipulate the qubits, demonstrating the potential for quantum technologies.

SourceForschungszentrum Juelich·JournalScience·DateAug 13, 2019

Limitation exposed in promising quantum computing material

Researchers at the University of Utah discovered that as the insulating layers of a topological insulator get thinner, its metallic surfaces start influencing each other and losing their conductivity. The study found that this phenomenon occurs at an insulating layer thickness of around 16 quintuple atomic layers across.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJul 16, 2019

Improving quantum computers

Scientists are developing better manufacturing processes and control equipment for superconducting circuits and trapped ions. New materials like silicon spin devices and topological materials are also being explored to reduce noise and error in qubits.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalChemical & Engineering News·DateApr 17, 2019

New hurdle cleared in race toward quantum computing

Purdue researchers have successfully probed interference of quasiparticles using a new device. The device, built with molecular beam epitaxy, overcomes technical challenges to observe quantum mechanical effects. This breakthrough may be key to developing topological qubits and advancing quantum computing.

SourcePurdue University·JournalNature Physics·DateMar 4, 2019

Researchers move closer to practical photonic quantum computing

A new measurement technique called COSPLI enables researchers to map and measure large-scale photonic quantum correlation with single-photon sensitivity, a critical step towards making photon-based quantum computing practical. The method uses CCD cameras and suppresses noise to detect signals from individual photons.

SourceOptica·JournalOptica·DateFeb 28, 2019

Immunizing quantum computers against errors

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a new way to encode qubits in trapped-ion mechanical oscillators, which could lead to more efficient quantum error correction. By exploiting the properties of periodically arranged oscillatory states, they can detect and correct errors with high precision.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature·DateFeb 27, 2019

Faster method to read quantum memory

Aalto University scientists have developed a new method to read information from qubits, the basic building blocks of a quantum computer. By applying two microwave pulses instead of one, they were able to complete the readout in 300 nanoseconds, faster than previously possible.

SourceAalto University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateFeb 25, 2019

Hybrid qubits solve key hurdle to quantum computing

Researchers have developed a hybrid device combining two types of qubits to solve the speed bottleneck in quantum computing. By integrating different qubit architectures, they achieved rapid initialization and coherent measurements, paving the way for more scalable devices.

SourceRIKEN·JournalNature Communications·DateDec 27, 2018

Harnessing the power of 'spin orbit' coupling in silicon: Scaling up quantum computation

Researchers have discovered a new way to manipulate spin-orbit coupling in silicon to create compact and efficient qubits for large-scale quantum computing. This breakthrough enables fast read-out of the spin state of just two boron atoms in an extremely compact circuit, hosting all devices in a commercial transistor.

USC scientists find a way to enhance the performance of quantum computers

Researchers at USC have successfully implemented a method called dynamical decoupling to suppress erroneous calculations and increase the fidelity of results in quantum computers. The technique, which uses staccato bursts of energy pulses to offset ambient disturbances, improved final fidelity by threefold in IBM's 16-qubit QX5 computer.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateNov 29, 2018

One step closer to complex quantum teleportation

Researchers successfully generate three-photon entanglement in three dimensions, increasing information capacity and paving the way for future technologies such as quantum computers and encryption. This breakthrough could enable teleportation of complex quantum systems and has significant implications for quantum communication networks.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Photonics·DateNov 2, 2018