Key facts
- HRL Laboratories has developed a quantum dot qubit system that uses electronic control instead of microwaves.
- IBM acquired HRL Laboratories, a company focused on silicon-based quantum dot qubits.
- The HRL system demonstrated a logical error rate below 1% on 18 qubits using an error-correction code.
- Delft University of Technology is also advancing quantum dot qubit technology, focusing on electron and spin manipulation.
- Diamond defect technology has shown progress with a processor holding 100 individual electrons.
Quantum computing research is advancing across multiple fronts, with companies and institutions exploring diverse technologies for building qubits. HRL Laboratories has developed a novel system using quantum dots that relies on electronic control rather than microwaves, a significant departure from many existing approaches. This system, which demonstrated a low logical error rate on 18 qubits, has been acquired by IBM, a major player in superconducting qubit technology.
IBM's Director of Research, Jay Gambetta, expressed belief in silicon technology as a common foundation for both superconducting qubits and spin-based qubits like those developed by HRL. This acquisition suggests IBM's strategy to maintain flexibility and potentially integrate different qubit technologies in the future to optimize for various error correction codes.
Separately, research from Delft University of Technology also focuses on quantum dot qubits, with an emphasis on moving electrons and their spins between dots. This approach aims to overcome limitations in connectivity dictated by chip wiring, offering greater algorithmic flexibility compared to fixed-connection architectures. Additionally, progress has been reported in diamond defect technology, with one company showcasing a processor capable of holding 100 individual electrons.