The team, headed by the National Security Laboratory at the US Department of Energy, has achieved a significant breakthrough in the field of quantum calculations. Researchers have successfully increased the coherence time of their new type of cubit to an impressive 0.1 milliseconds, which is nearly a thousand times higher than the previous record.
“Unlike traditional cubes based on electron charge, our cubes can perform 10,000 operations with high accuracy and speed,” stated Daphee Jing, a professor at the University of Notre Dame with a joint appointment in the Center of Nanomaterials Argonn.
The research teams encode quantum information in the moving charge conditions of the electron, earning them the name charge cubes. These cubes are particularly appealing due to their simplicity in production and operation, as well as compatibility with existing infrastructures for classical computers.
The cubits consist of a single electron confined on an ultra-low surface of solid neon in a vacuum. Neon is chosen for its resistance to environmental effects.
Through further optimization, the team not only enhanced the quality of the neon surface but also significantly reduced interference. The researchers’ work has been published in Nature Physics.
Another vital aspect is the scalability of the cubit for communication with numerous other cubits. The team demonstrated that two electron-based cubits can be connected to the same superconducting chain, enabling information transmission between them.
The team will continue their efforts to optimize their electronic qubit by striving for increased coherence time and improved interaction among two or more cubits.
The study involved specialists from various educational and scientific institutions, including Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Chicago, and University of Notre Dame.