Since IBM Research has been pushing the limits of computing for almost 80 years, it is impossible to discuss the past, present, and future of computing without mentioning the accomplishments of its community. With the hybrid cloud techniques, IBM believes quantum computers will be smoothly integrated with traditional processors and networks. This article will bring you back to the breakthroughs unveiled by the experts of IBM Quantum Research.
IBM Quantum has been on a quest to secure the quantum world by bringing usable quantum computing. The company first announced its roadmap for quantum computing in 2020, and it updated it in May 2022 to define the vision of quantum-centric supercomputing.
Started and ended the year strong for IBM Quantum Research
During the first quarter of this year, IBM modified the quantum chip packaging in its Eagle processor to more efficiently bring signals to and from the superconducting qubits using thru-substrate vias and multi-level microwave wire technology to enhance scale. With the release of its 433-qubit processor Osprey in November 2022, they added inbuilt filtering to minimize noise and improve stability, as well as three times the scale.
Additionally, IBM increased its Quantum Volume from 128 to 512 in 2022 using quicker, higher fidelity gates during the year’s second quarter. The technological discoveries in 2022 are laying the groundwork for a near-term quantum edge. By 2024, the company targets to have the capability of estimating noise-free observables of circuits operated on 100 qubits with a depth of 100 within a day.
In addition, IBM launched an alpha version of quantum serverless last November 2022. Software architecture and tools seamlessly combine and handle quantum and classical computations while abstracting away complications, allowing developers to focus solely on code rather than infrastructure.
Not only that, but IBM has also recently released the alpha version of its circuit knitting toolkit. Which entails complex orchestration that divides huge quantum circuits into smaller ones, distributes the subparts for concurrent execution on available hardware, and reconstructs the quantum findings using classical post-processing. Complete quantum serverless and circuit knitting releases are scheduled for 2023 and 2025, respectively.
Furthermore, to expand the Input/Output (I/O) devices, IBM introduced cryogenic flex to replace typical coaxial cabling, giving space and cost savings. They are exploring modular cryostat solutions through strategic partnerships with vendors. Simultaneously, they have reduced the size and cost of control circuits over three generations, now regulating 400 qubits with a single rack, an 80-fold improvement over six years ago when a rack could only control five qubits.
What the year 2023 unfolds
This year, according to IBM, they will introduce its newest IBM Quantum System Two. With features of many modularity designs at the I/O, control electronics, and quantum processor levels. It will include integrated classical computing resources for parallel classical communication between processors, allowing hitherto unattainable tasks.
The short- and mid-term future of quantum computing will be defined by technological advances in theory, software, and hardware, a modular architecture that allows for parallelization, and quantum serverless integration, orchestrating and controlling quantum and classical processes.
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