Step to quantum supremacy: Intel's 49-qubit quantum computer
Last October, Intel announced the release of a 17-qubit chip. But three months later, at CES 2018, the company demonstrated a 49-qubit Tangle Lake quantum chip, which scientists hope will be an important component in achieving quantum supremacy, since theoretically a 49-qubit quantum computer can surpass all the world's supercomputers in computing power ( on some tasks).
On the peculiarities of Tangle Lake and the situation on the market for quantum machines we will describe below.
/ photo Jared Tarbell CC
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A quantum computer uses qubits instead of traditional bits to store information. Their work is based on the principles of superposition and entanglement. According to the superposition principle, qubits can be in the 1 and 0 state simultaneously, and entanglement allows the quantum states of objects to depend on each other. This allows quantum machines to solve some problems faster than classic computers (a little about the principles of operation of quantum computers, we wrote in our past materials: this and this ).
Physicists have suggested that a quantum computer with 49 qubits will have more performance than world supercomputers. However, the creation of chips of this class is quite a difficult task. Qubits are fragile objects and can support superposition in just a few nanoseconds. In this case, temperature fluctuations or an external molecule can easily break the superposition - decoherence will occur.
To solve this problem, physicists create error-resistant codes, use low temperatures and Penning traps , develop new algorithms, etc. This is also done at Intel.
Intel's new chip is named Tangle Lake in honor of a group of lakes in Alaska. The name refers to low temperatures and "entanglement".
The device is based on the previous development of Intel with 17 superconducting qubits. The number 17 was not chosen by chance: just as many qubits are needed to run the quantum error correction code, which was first demonstrated by the Google team. Tangle Lake was an important step for Intel, because 49 qubits allowed researchers to improve the error correction code.
In addition, Intel has provided the 49-qubit chip with flip chip technology to transmit signals with greater speed and less interference at close contact locations. The architecture of the device is built using contours of a superconducting metal , and therefore requires cooling to 20 mK. However, Intel intends to raise the temperature in the following designs.
Intel is actively working to first create a working quantum system. Mike Mayberry (Mike Mayberry), head of Intel Labs, believes that quantum computers will be able to solve applied problems and achieve commercial success in 5-7 years.
Therefore, Intel has entered into partnerships with QuTech and other companies to develop and test various hardware and software / hardware systems for quantum computing. The need for a large number of qubits prompted the company to further invest in the development of solutions based on spin qubits.
The spin states of electrons and atomic nuclei are considered to be candidates for the logical states of qubits. Spin qubits are smaller in size than superconducting ones and, in theory, should be more reliable. Therefore, they can be scaled faster and with fewer errors.
Intel already knows how to implement spin qubits in silicon using 300-mm technology and believe that the technology will help accelerate the development of a full-fledged quantum system.
In addition to Intel, Australian scientists also paid attention to silicon: they managed to develop the concept of flip-flop-qubits (“qubit-shifters”). Flip-flop qubits are phosphorus atoms placed in silicon. The qubit itself consists of the spin of the electron and the spin of the atomic nucleus of phosphorus. Due to the electric field, the qubit changes its state: if the spin vector of the electron is downward, and the atom upwards, then this is zero, otherwise it is one. Therefore, they are called qubit-inverters. Scientists hope to present a system of 10 flip-flop qubits by 2022.
Other companies are working on quantum computers. Some, for example, D-Wave, already sell ready-made solutions (however, we note that their solution works on the principle of quantum annealing).
There, at CES 2018, the IBM team presented a prototype of a 50-qubit quantum computer, the development of which was mentioned as early as November 2017, similar to a steampunk-chandelier. The system takes 10 square meters, and its processor needs to be cooled to 10 mK, which is 10 mK closer to absolute zero, compared with the development from Intel.
/ photo IBM Research CC
The young company Rigetti also strives for quantum excellence: one of the key developments of the startup is Forest 1.2 , which provides access to a 26-qubit virtual machine.
The company ID Quantique offers services for data protection based on quantum encryption, and Qubitekk is working to create a universal quantum computer - a computer that can be programmed in an arbitrary way to solve a wide range of tasks.
PS Other articles from our corporate blog:
On the peculiarities of Tangle Lake and the situation on the market for quantum machines we will describe below.
/ photo Jared Tarbell CC
')
A quantum computer uses qubits instead of traditional bits to store information. Their work is based on the principles of superposition and entanglement. According to the superposition principle, qubits can be in the 1 and 0 state simultaneously, and entanglement allows the quantum states of objects to depend on each other. This allows quantum machines to solve some problems faster than classic computers (a little about the principles of operation of quantum computers, we wrote in our past materials: this and this ).
Physicists have suggested that a quantum computer with 49 qubits will have more performance than world supercomputers. However, the creation of chips of this class is quite a difficult task. Qubits are fragile objects and can support superposition in just a few nanoseconds. In this case, temperature fluctuations or an external molecule can easily break the superposition - decoherence will occur.
To solve this problem, physicists create error-resistant codes, use low temperatures and Penning traps , develop new algorithms, etc. This is also done at Intel.
Intel chip features
Intel's new chip is named Tangle Lake in honor of a group of lakes in Alaska. The name refers to low temperatures and "entanglement".
The device is based on the previous development of Intel with 17 superconducting qubits. The number 17 was not chosen by chance: just as many qubits are needed to run the quantum error correction code, which was first demonstrated by the Google team. Tangle Lake was an important step for Intel, because 49 qubits allowed researchers to improve the error correction code.
In addition, Intel has provided the 49-qubit chip with flip chip technology to transmit signals with greater speed and less interference at close contact locations. The architecture of the device is built using contours of a superconducting metal , and therefore requires cooling to 20 mK. However, Intel intends to raise the temperature in the following designs.
The development of a quantum ecosystem
Intel is actively working to first create a working quantum system. Mike Mayberry (Mike Mayberry), head of Intel Labs, believes that quantum computers will be able to solve applied problems and achieve commercial success in 5-7 years.
Therefore, Intel has entered into partnerships with QuTech and other companies to develop and test various hardware and software / hardware systems for quantum computing. The need for a large number of qubits prompted the company to further invest in the development of solutions based on spin qubits.
The spin states of electrons and atomic nuclei are considered to be candidates for the logical states of qubits. Spin qubits are smaller in size than superconducting ones and, in theory, should be more reliable. Therefore, they can be scaled faster and with fewer errors.
Intel already knows how to implement spin qubits in silicon using 300-mm technology and believe that the technology will help accelerate the development of a full-fledged quantum system.
In addition to Intel, Australian scientists also paid attention to silicon: they managed to develop the concept of flip-flop-qubits (“qubit-shifters”). Flip-flop qubits are phosphorus atoms placed in silicon. The qubit itself consists of the spin of the electron and the spin of the atomic nucleus of phosphorus. Due to the electric field, the qubit changes its state: if the spin vector of the electron is downward, and the atom upwards, then this is zero, otherwise it is one. Therefore, they are called qubit-inverters. Scientists hope to present a system of 10 flip-flop qubits by 2022.
Market situation
Other companies are working on quantum computers. Some, for example, D-Wave, already sell ready-made solutions (however, we note that their solution works on the principle of quantum annealing).
There, at CES 2018, the IBM team presented a prototype of a 50-qubit quantum computer, the development of which was mentioned as early as November 2017, similar to a steampunk-chandelier. The system takes 10 square meters, and its processor needs to be cooled to 10 mK, which is 10 mK closer to absolute zero, compared with the development from Intel.
/ photo IBM Research CC
The young company Rigetti also strives for quantum excellence: one of the key developments of the startup is Forest 1.2 , which provides access to a 26-qubit virtual machine.
The company ID Quantique offers services for data protection based on quantum encryption, and Qubitekk is working to create a universal quantum computer - a computer that can be programmed in an arbitrary way to solve a wide range of tasks.
PS Other articles from our corporate blog:
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/347044/
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