We've heard about quantum computers for years, but no one has made one better at crunching numbers than a binary machine. Google's Quantum Engineering team may be on the right track, though. For the first time, the team built a larger quantum computer that didn't become less accurate(Opens in a new window). In a few years, we might consider this a significant turning point in the quest to make quantum computers useful.
The promise of a practical quantum computer is alluring -- a bit of quantum information (a qubit) can encode more data than just 0 or 1 like a traditional binary computer. That means a quantum computer can, in theory, be much more powerful. However, qubits are sensitive to interference, even from light and temperature variations. This leads to higher error rates that make the output of quantum computers untrustworthy. And the more qubits you add, the higher the error rate.
However, Google's quantum engineering team says there may be light at the end of the tunnel. In the latest experiment, engineers have used quantum error correction to reduce the error rate while also making the quantum array larger. Google's engineers group individual qubits in arrays of 49 to form a single logical qubit. In the past, Google worked with groups of 17 qubits, but the new 49-qubit design demonstrated a lower error rate.
According to Google, this is the first time anyone has scaled a logical qubit without increasing the error rate. This could be an important milestone on the way to a practical quantum computer. Google cites potential use cases like modeling new molecules for medical uses, refining battery technology, and designing power-generating fusion reactors.
Creating a larger logical qubit with a lower error rate is a big step in that direction, but the hardware and software that goes into quantum computing must first improve. Google is looking toward upgrades in control electronics and cryogenics to move us in the right direction, and the materials that go into the company's Sycamore 2 quantum chips will be refined. That could get us to a place where quantum computing has real-world uses, and Google says it's already planning for that day. The company is working with government agencies and the larger security community to ensure that internet traffic and Google's cloud services remain secure in a world of robust, scalable quantum computers.
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