A team from Quantinuum, QuTech (Delft University of Technology) and the University of Stuttgart have made a significant advance in fault-tolerant quantum computing. Using the H1 quantum computer, they demonstrated the first fault-tolerant method with three logically-encoded qubits. This could lead to practical solutions in areas like molecular simulation, artificial intelligence, optimisation, and cybersecurity. The team achieved an error rate almost ten times lower than the unencoded circuit. Ilyas Khan, Chief Product Officer and Founder at Quantinuum, highlighted the ingenuity of the demonstration and the potential for further computational advances.
Quantum Computing Advancements in Fault-Tolerant Operations
The team demonstrated the first fault-tolerant method using three logically-encoded qubits on the Quantinuum H1 quantum computer. This achievement is a significant step towards moving from merely physical qubits to those that are fault-tolerant. Fault-tolerant quantum computing methods are expected to pave the way for practical solutions to real-world problems across domains such as molecular simulation, artificial intelligence, optimization, and cybersecurity.
The Importance of Fault-Tolerance in Quantum Computing
Fault-tolerance in quantum computing is a pressing issue that requires major breakthroughs and innovations. Many companies and research groups are focused on achieving fault-tolerance by handling the noise that naturally arises when a quantum computer performs its operations. Quantinuum has been at the forefront of these efforts, achieving previous firsts such as demonstrating entangling gates between two logical qubits in a fully fault-tolerant manner using real-time error correction, and simulating the hydrogen molecule with two logically-encoded qubits.
By performing one-bit addition using the smallest-known fault-tolerant circuit, the team achieved an error rate almost an order of magnitude lower. This error suppression was made possible by the physical error rates of the quantum charge-coupled device (QCCD) architecture used in Quantinuum’s H-Series quantum computers, which are lower than in any other systems known to date. These error rates fall within the range at which fault-tolerant algorithms become feasible.
The Role of Low-Overhead Logical Clifford Gates
Low-overhead logical Clifford gates, in combination with the transversal CCZ gate of the three-dimensional colour code, enabled the team to reduce the number of two-qubit gates and measurements required for one-bit addition, from over 1000, to 36. The CCZ gate, demonstrated in this research, is a key ingredient in Shor’s algorithm, quantum Monte Carlo, topological data analysis, and a host of other quantum algorithms. This result proves that real hardware is now capable of running all the essentials of fault-tolerant quantum computing – state preparation, Clifford gates, non-Clifford gates and logical measurement – together.
Quantinuum is a standalone quantum computing company, formed by the combination of Honeywell Quantum Solutions’ hardware and Cambridge Quantum’s middleware and applications. The company is science-led and enterprise-driven, accelerating quantum computing and the development of applications across chemistry, cybersecurity, finance and optimization. Its focus is to create scalable and commercial quantum solutions to solve the world’s most pressing problems in fields such as energy, logistics, climate change, and health. The company employs over 480 individuals, including 350+ scientists and engineers, at eight sites across the United States, Europe, and Japan.
The Future of Quantum Computing
The current demonstration is noteworthy for its ingenuity. The ion trap architecture of Quantinuum’s H-Series offers the lowest physical error rates and the flexibility derived from qubit transport, which allows users of their hardware to implement a much wider choice of error-correcting codes. This achievement is expected to lead to further important computational advances in the coming period as the quality of the hardware is linked up with tasks that are meaningful in the real world.
“Ilyas Khan, Chief Product Officer and Founder at Quantinuum, said: “In addition to continuing to provide the quantum ecosystem with evidence of what is possible in these early days of quantum computing, the current demonstration is noteworthy for its ingenuity. The ion trap architecture of our H-Series offers the lowest physical error rates and the flexibility derived from qubit transport, which allows users of our hardware to implement a much wider choice of error-correcting codes, and that is what made this possible. Watch out for further important computational advances in the coming period as we link up the quality of our hardware with tasks that are meaningful in the real world.”
“Ben Criger, Senior Research Scientist at Quantinuum, and principal investigator on the paper, said: “The CCZ gate, which we’ve demonstrated here, is a key ingredient in Shor’s algorithm, quantum Monte Carlo, topological data analysis, and a host of other quantum algorithms. This result proves that real hardware is now capable of running all the essentials of fault-tolerant quantum computing – state preparation, Clifford gates, non-Clifford gates and logical measurement – together.”
Summary
Scientists from Quantinuum, QuTech and the University of Stuttgart have made a significant advance in quantum computing by demonstrating the first fault-tolerant method using three logically-encoded qubits. This development, which achieved a significantly lower error rate, is expected to pave the way for practical solutions to real-world problems across various fields such as molecular simulation, artificial intelligence, optimisation, and cybersecurity.
- A team from Quantinuum, QuTech (Delft University of Technology), and the University of Stuttgart have made a significant advancement in fault-tolerant quantum computing using the H1 quantum computer.
- This development is crucial for the future of quantum technologies, which could revolutionise fields such as medicine, finance, and AI.
- The team demonstrated the first fault-tolerant method using three logically-encoded qubits to perform a mathematical procedure.
- This method could lead to practical solutions for real-world problems in areas like molecular simulation, artificial intelligence, optimisation, and cybersecurity.
- The team achieved an error rate almost ten times lower than the unencoded circuit by performing one-bit addition using the smallest-known fault-tolerant circuit.
- The low error rates were made possible by the quantum charge-coupled device (QCCD) architecture used in Quantinuum’s H-Series quantum computers.
- Ilyas Khan, Chief Product Officer and Founder at Quantinuum, and Ben Criger, Senior Research Scientist at Quantinuum, highlighted the significance of this development and its potential for future computational advances.
- Quantinuum is a leading quantum computing company, formed by the combination of Honeywell Quantum Solutions’ hardware and Cambridge Quantum’s middleware and applications.
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