IBM Breaks Ground with Release of 1,000-Qubit Quantum Chip and Revolutionary Error Correction Strategy
December 6, 2023IBM has marked a historic milestone with the launch of Condor, the world’s first quantum computer boasting over 1,000 qubits — a quantum leap in computing capabilities. However, the tech giant has shifted its focus towards a groundbreaking approach to error correction, unveiling a chip named Heron with 133 qubits and a record-low error rate, signaling a new era in quantum computing.
The Condor chip, housing 1,121 superconducting qubits in a distinctive honeycomb configuration, follows IBM’s quantum roadmap that steadily doubled qubit numbers annually. Notably, the company has set its sights on enhancing error resistance rather than pursuing larger quantum machines.
Quantum computers leverage unique quantum phenomena like entanglement and superposition, allowing qubits to exist in multiple collective states simultaneously, enabling computations beyond classical computers’ capabilities. However, managing quantum states, prone to error, poses a significant challenge.
IBM’s strategic shift involves embracing the quantum low-density parity check (qLDPC) error-correction scheme, outlined in a preprint by IBM researchers. Unlike traditional error-correction methods requiring millions of physical qubits, qLDPC promises a tenfold reduction in the number of physical qubits needed for each logical qubit.
Despite acknowledging the challenging implementation of qLDPC with superconducting qubits, physicists are intrigued by its potential. IBM plans to design chips accommodating qLDPC-corrected qubits, requiring only around 400 physical qubits, and connecting these chips to create a network.
Mikhail Lukin, a physicist at Harvard University, praises IBM’s theoretical work on qLDPC but underscores the challenges in its practical application. While the qLDPC technique demands direct connections to at least six qubits, typical superconducting chips provide only two or three connections. IBM’s solution involves adding a layer to its quantum chip design to facilitate the extra connections required for qLDPC.
The newly unveiled IBM quantum research roadmap envisions achieving practical computations, such as simulating catalyst molecules, by the end of the decade. Oliver Dial, CTO of IBM Quantum, emphasizes the significance of realizing this once-distant dream and outlines the envisioned path towards quantum computing’s transformative potential.
Source: Read the full article
