Microsoft has just unveiled its new Majorana 1 quantum computing chip, with the company creating a new “state of matter” in the process. Check it out:
The company says the design of the Majorana 1 processor is meant to fit up to 1 million qubits, which should be enough quantum computing power to see what the world of quantum can truly do: including cracking cryptographic codes, designing new drugs and materials, and so much more.
Microsoft announced the creation of the first-ever “topological qubits” in a device that stores information in an exotic state of matter, which could be the key to significant breakthroughs in quantum computing.
Chetan Nayak, Microsoft technical fellow, explains: “We took a step back and said ‘OK, let’s invent the transistor for the quantum age. What properties does it need to have? And that’s really how we got here – it’s the particular combination, the quality and the important details in our new materials stack that have enabled a new kind of qubit and ultimately our entire architecture“.
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“Whatever you’re doing in the quantum space needs to have a path to a million qubits. If it doesn’t, you’re going to hit a wall before you get to the scale at which you can solve the really important problems that motivate us. We have actually worked out a path to a million“.
- Quantum computer: A type of device that uses quantum states of matter to store and compute information.
- Qubit: The basic building blocks of quantum computers. They store information where information can be processed.
- Topoconductor: A new type of chip designed to make a path for creating quantum systems that can scale to a million qubits. Microsoft analogizes the topoconductor to the “transistor for the quantum age.” It is a semiconductor that also acts as a superconductor.
- Topological state: A new state of matter that is not solid, liquid, or gas. Particles in this state are key to quantum computing.
- Majorana 1: The first Quantum Processing Unit (QPU) that is powered by a topological core.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella took to his LinkedIn page, explaining: “A couple reflections on the quantum computing breakthrough we just announced… Most of us grew up learning there are three main types of matter that matter: solid, liquid, and gas. Today, that changed“.
“After a nearly 20 year pursuit, we’ve created an entirely new state of matter, unlocked by a new class of materials, topoconductors, that enable a fundamental leap in computing. It powers Majorana 1, the first quantum processing unit built on a topological core. We believe this breakthrough will allow us to create a truly meaningful quantum computer not in decades, as some have predicted, but in years“.
“The qubits created with topoconductors are faster, more reliable, and smaller. They are 1/100th of a millimeter, meaning we now have a clear path to a million-qubit processor. Imagine a chip that can fit in the palm of your hand yet is capable of solving problems that even all the computers on Earth today combined could not!“
“Sometimes researchers have to work on things for decades to make progress possible. It takes patience and persistence to have big impact in the world. And I am glad we get the opportunity to do just that at Microsoft. This is our focus: When productivity rises, economies grow faster, benefiting every sector and every corner of the globe. It’s not about hyping tech; it’s about building technology that truly serves the world“.