IBM has recently unveiled a new quantum processor, boasting a record-breaking 1.121 cubic size. However, the smaller processor, known as the IBM Quantum Condor chip, has garnered the most attention due to its impressive technical specifications. Despite being the second largest processor after the 1.125-cubic device from Atom, the Quantum Condor chip will not be utilized in IBM’s upcoming generation of quantum computers.
Instead, IBM’s latest systems will employ the use of the IBM Quantum Heron processors, each consisting of 133 cubes. These processors have significantly lower error rates. This shift in focus from the number of cubes to their quality and efficiency demonstrates the changing priorities in quantum processor development.
Quantum computers rely on cubes, which unlike conventional bits, can exist in multiple states simultaneously through quantum superposition. This feature enables quantum computers to perform calculations significantly faster than classical computers. However, in order for quantum computers to replace traditional systems, millions of error-prone cubes are needed. Overcoming these challenges, such as high error rates and the requirement for extreme cooling temperatures, remains a difficult task.
Therefore, the smaller yet more reliable Heron processor has garnered greater interest. With an error level five times lower than that of the larger Condor processor, the significance of developing quantum chips with improved characteristics is emphasized. These developments are vital to realizing the full potential of quantum calculations.
The work on the Condor processor is crucial as well. Matthias Steffen, an IBM specialist in quantum processor technologies, explains that innovative solutions were required to cool such a large chip. The advancements made during the Condor’s development, including improvements to cable systems configurations, will be integrated into the creation of the Heron processor and the new generation of IBM quantum computers known as System Two.
The System Two, already operational in New York, is equipped with three Heron processors and represents the first quantum computer with a modular architecture that allows for the addition of cubes as needed, resembling a LEGO designer. Enhancements to the hardware, including the integration of new error correction codes, will facilitate the increase in the number of cubes without compromising the effectiveness of error correction. This aspect is crucial in achieving quantum computers’ superiority over classical computers.