Quantum Computing Breakthrough: Harvard Scientists Develop World's First Logical Qubit Circuit
A team of scientists from Harvard, MIT, QuEra Computing, Caltech, and Princeton, working on a project funded by DARPA, has made a significant breakthrough in quantum computing. They have successfully created the world's first quantum circuit using logical qubits, a major step towards fault-tolerant quantum computing and the design of quantum computer processors.
The ONISQ Program and Its Objectives
The ONISQ (Optimization with Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum) program, established in 2020 and funded by DARPA, aims to surpass the capabilities of classical supercomputers in solving combinatorial optimization problems relevant to defense and commercial sectors.
This program focuses on developing ways to exploit quantum information processing using intermediate-sized quantum devices combined with classical systems. Its goal is to solve the challenging problems of combinatorial optimization.
DARPA believes that this hybrid approach will be effective in achieving quantum information processing before fully fault-tolerant quantum computers are realized.
Collaborative Efforts and Breakthrough
DARPA credited the recent breakthrough to the collaborative efforts of researchers from Harvard, MIT, QuEra Computing, Caltech, and Princeton. Dr. Mikhail Lukin, the co-director of the Harvard Quantum Initiative and a professor of physics, led the research team.
The team focused on Rydberg qubits, a type of physical qubits, and successfully developed techniques to create error-correcting logical qubits from these Rydberg qubits. Logical qubits are crucial for achieving fault-tolerant quantum computing as they can maintain their quantum states despite errors, making them reliable for solving complex problems.
The Harvard team built quantum circuits comprising around 48 Rydberg logical qubits, which is the largest assembly of logical qubits to date. Rydberg qubits, due to their homogeneous nature, offer advantages in terms of rapid scaling and easy manipulation on a quantum circuit.
Implications and Future Possibilities
The discovery of creating logical qubits from Rydberg qubits challenges the traditional belief that millions of physical qubits are necessary for fault-tolerant quantum computing. With dynamically reconfigurable quantum circuits, the number of logical qubits needed for specific problems may be fewer than previously thought.
The potential of Rydberg qubits in quantum computing is transformative. Their homogeneity and the ability to dynamically reconfigure and transport them across the quantum circuit using laser tweezers open up new paradigms in designing scalable quantum computing processors.
Experts believe that the advent of quantum computing will revolutionize various fields, from cryptography to materials science, and reshape industries, economies, and daily life. This recent breakthrough is a significant step toward making quantum computing a reality.
