Error-free quantum computer is coming closer
Jülich researchers involved in two recent Nature publications
Jülich, 25 May 2022 – Quantum computers are expected to be the computers of the future. However, today's systems are still too error-prone for practical use. In two publications in the current issue of the renowned scientific journal Nature, a team around Prof. Markus Müller from Forschungszentrum Jülich and RWTH Aachen University has now presented two new solutions, which are intended to protect the results from errors. In collaboration with researchers from Switzerland, Germany and Canada, they were involved in the implementation of a superconducting quantum computer chip that allows one to correct both fundamental types of errors affecting quantum systems. In another work, together with partners from the University of Innsbruck, they also succeeded for the first time in implementing a fault-tolerant set of computing operations on an ion trap quantum computer, from which any possible quantum algorithm can be built.
Quantum computers are significantly more prone to errors than conventional computers. The correction of these errors is very demanding and represents one of the main challenges on the way to a ready-to-use quantum computer. Until now, it has not been possible to detect and correct both types of potential errors simultaneously. A team led by Prof. Andreas Wallraff from ETH Zurich has now presented the first experimental system that can automatically correct these errors, thereby bringing these systems closer to use for practical applications.
Prof. Markus Müller from Forschungszentrum Jülich and RWTH Aachen supported the team at ETH Zurich and explains in an interview why this work can also be called a breakthrough in quantum error correction.
>> Interview: Researchers in Zurich and Jülich reach milestone in quantum error correction
Fundamental building blocks for fault-tolerant quantum computing
In another paper, also published in the current issue of the prestigious journal Nature, the team led by Prof. Markus Müller, together with researchers from the University of Innsbruck, succeeded in implementing a universal set of computing operations with error-tolerant quantum bits on an ion trap quantum computer. The logical qubits used distribute the quantum information over several atoms and are thus better protected against disturbances than quantum states stored in individual particles.
>> Press release: Quantum computer learns error-free computing
Original publications:
Krinner, S et al.
Realizing Repeated Quantum Error Correction in a Distance-Three Surface Code
Nature (25 May 2022), DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04566-8
Lukas Postler, Sascha Heußen, Ivan Pogorelov, Manuel Rispler, Thomas Feldker, Michael Meth, Christian D. Marciniak, Roman Stricker, Martin Ringbauer, Rainer Blatt, Philipp Schindler, Markus Müller, Thomas Monz
Demonstration of fault-tolerant universal quantum gate operations
Nature (25 May 2022), DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04721-1