IBM's 1000 qubits broken by Atomic computing

IBM’s 1000 qubits broken by Atomic computing

Atom Computing's technology is designed to provide universal gate-based quantum computers with large numbers of error-corrected qubits, long coherence times, optimized connectivity, and fast operations, which are essential for creating applications with commercial value.

Innovations

18 Nov, 2023

2 mins

Atom Computing, a quantum computing startup, has recently announced that it has created a 1,225-site atomic array, currently populated with 1,180 qubits, in its next-generation quantum computing platform. This is the first time a company has crossed the 1,000-qubit threshold for a universal gate-based system, planned for release next year. This is a significant milestone for the industry, as it marks a step towards fault-tolerant quantum computers capable of solving large-scale problems.

According to the company’s CEO, Rob Hays, rapid scaling is a key benefit of Atom Computing’s unique atomic array technology.

“This order-of-magnitude leap – from 100 to 1,000-plus qubits within a generation – shows our atomic array systems are quickly gaining ground on more mature qubit modalities,” Hays said. “Scaling to large numbers of qubits is critical for fault-tolerant quantum computing, which is why it has been our focus from the beginning. We are working closely with partners to explore near-term applications that can take advantage of these larger scale systems” .

Rob Hays, CEO of Atom Computing

Atomic Computing surpasses IBM's 1000 qubits — Atomic Computing surpasses IBM’s 1000 qubits

It is worth noting that fault-tolerant quantum computers that can overcome errors during computations and deliver accurate results will require hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of physical qubits along with other key capabilities, including long coherence times, mid-circuit measurement, high fidelities, error correction, and logical qubits. Atom Computing continues to work towards these capabilities with its next-generation system, which provides new opportunities for its partners.

How does Atom Computing’s atomic array technology work?

The technology according to Atomic Computing uses nuclear spin qubits formed from arrays of optically-trapped neutral atoms. The company’s approach involves using neutral atoms, specifically strontium 87, placed in an evacuated chamber and manipulated with lasers to encode states, offering a promising path to scale in quantum computing. The qubits are cooled, trapped, and controlled wirelessly using lasers. Read White Paper 📄