Thread by @tunguz

The current issue of @Nature has three articles that show how to make those error-correcting mechanisms achieve over 99% accuracy, which would make silicon-based qubits a viable option for the large-scale quantum computational devices.

#computing #quantumcomputing 1/

Fast universal quantum gate above the fault-tolerance threshold in silicon:
nature.com/articles/s4158…

Precision tomography of a three-qubit donor quantum processor in silicon:
nature.com/articles/s4158…

2/

Quantum logic with spin qubits crossing the surface code threshold:
nature.com/articles/s4158… 3/

Quantum Computing is the merger of computational algorithms with the principles of Quantum Mechanics. Due to some of its non-trivial and counterintuitive traits, Quantum Mechanics enables certain computational operations to be done many orders of magnitude faster 4/

than with the conventional logical operations. However, quantum systems are incredibly delicate, and often require attainment of exceptional physical conditions in order to make them viable in their pure useful form. 5/

Until very recently it has only been possible to create systems comprising of a handful of quantum bits (qubits). Regrettably, many such systems (superconductors, trapped ions, nitrogen-vacancy in diamonds) are hard to manufacture and scale. 6/

Another approach to qubits, electrons trapped in silicon, is particularly promising for large scale fabrication. We have over three quarters of a century worth of experience with manufacturing large-scale silicon-based systems, which underlie all of modern computing. 7/

Unfortunately, silicon-based systems have had issues with error-correcting mechanism, which made them unsuitable for the large-scale computer systems – until now. 8/