An international group of researchers has developed an innovative method of obtaining ultra-pure silicon-28, free of impurities, which could revolutionize the development of powerful quantum computers.
In quantum computers, data is encoded in “silicon spin cubes” that can exist in a superposition of states, giving them the ability to potentially outperform modern supercomputers. However, achieving this level of performance requires about a million of these cubes, with current quantum computers only having around 1000.
One of the main challenges in quantum computing is quantum noise, as the cubes are extremely sensitive to external factors like temperature changes. They need to be cooled to near absolute zero for stable operation, or risk losing information mid-way through operations.
A new study published in Nature Communications Materials suggests using silicon, a semiconductor material, as the basis for more scalable cubes compared to current technologies that use superconducting metals.
Cubes made from semiconductor materials like silicon-28 have longer coherence times, are cost-effective, can operate at higher temperatures, and are incredibly small, allowing for a large number to be placed on a single chip. The removal of impurities in silicon-28 makes it more reliable for quantum computations.
Lead author of the study, Richard Curry, a professor of emerging electronic materials at the University of Manchester, stated that creating these ultra-pure silicon-28 cubes is a significant step towards realizing the potential of quantum computing and its transformative impact on society.