Munzir HakimiTable of Contents
Introduction
Tech giant Microsoft and leading quantum computer developer Quantinuum have achieved two significant milestones in the quest for scientific quantum advantage. They successfully created 12 highly reliable logical qubits and demonstrated a hybrid end-to-end chemistry simulation using HPC, AI, and quantum computing.
Breakthrough in Logical Qubits
Microsoft and Quantinuum’s collaboration has led to the creation of 12 highly reliable logical qubits on Quantinuum’s H2 trapped-ion 56 physical qubit quantum computer using Microsoft’s Azure Quantum’s qubit-virtualisation system. This achievement triples their previous record of four reliable logical qubits announced earlier this year. The team also showcased several fault-tolerant computations with these improved logical qubits, achieving a circuit error rate 22 times better than that of physical qubits.
Hybrid Classical-Quantum Chemistry Solution
In another groundbreaking development, Microsoft utilized two logical qubits on Quantinuum’s H1 machine integrated with AI and cloud high-performance computing (HPC) to solve a real-world chemistry problem involving catalytic reactions producing chiral molecules. This marks the first instance where an HPC system, AI, and quantum computing hardware have been combined to tackle a specific scientific issue. Microsoft plans to integrate these applications into its Azure Quantum platform for commercial use.
Logical vs. Physical Qubits
To understand the significance of this breakthrough:
- Physical Qubits: Analogous to bits in classical computers but prone to errors due to “noise.”
- Logical Qubits: More robust; composed of multiple physical qubits with error-detection codes that allow corrections without disturbing their quantum state.
Additionally, Microsoft announced a new project with Atom Computing aimed at building “the world’s most powerful quantum machine” using neutral atom hardware from the California-based startup. This will also be accessible through Azure.
Conclusion
These advancements by Microsoft and Quantinuum mark crucial steps towards achieving scientific quantum advantage — where quantum computers can solve problems deemed near-impossible for classical systems.
References
Published September 10, 2024 – 1:00 pm UTC
