The race to achieve quantum computing commercial has just taken an unexpected turn thanks to silicon, the material that already dominates our current processors.
An international team of researchers has managed to develop a new type of silicon qubit capable of operating with unprecedented stability, eliminating one of the biggest bottlenecks in the sector: decoherence or data loss due to external interference.
This discovery not only promises to lower manufacturing costs by reusing the infrastructure of current chips, but also lays the foundations to finally build large scale quantum computers capable of solving problems that today would take centuries to process.
Quantum computers have held a promise for a long time that has not yet become a reality today. However, this is something that could change thanks to a new discovery. It is about a silicon qubit that, according to experts, would be capable of revolutionizing the sectorand finally provide the definitive progress that has been demanded.
In theory, thanks to it it would be possible to overcome some of the biggest technical challenges that until now have been holding back the rise of this technology. Basically, would be able to make quantum devices more stable, scalable and, above all, compatible with electronic infrastructures that are already a reality at this time.
The silicon qubit that could revolutionize quantum computing
To begin with, it is important to be clear about what a qubit is. Almost everyone knows that classical computing works through bits, and that they are only capable of taking two values: 0 or 1. On the other hand, a qubit – or quantum bit – can be in a superposition of both states at the same time. In practice, this would translate into much faster operations.
Where has the problem been, then? Well, in what Putting this theory into a real machine has not been, by any means, an easy task.. More than anything because qubits are very fragile. Any disturbance from the environment, such as vibrations, thermal fluctuations or electromagnetic interference, can cause them to lose their quantum state in a process known as decoherence.
Hence, the majority of today’s engineers have a common goal: to find materials and architectures that allow qubits that are more resistant and, at the same time, easier to manufacture. And this is where it would come in this new silicon qubit, formed by the combination of carbon and nitrogen atoms. That is, with a much more stable formation than that proposed by hydrogen.
The research, carried out by the University of Santa Barbara in California, promises greater structural stability. Which, from a pragmatic point of view, would allow more controlled production in industrial environments. Or in other words, it could help quantum computing stop being «that technology of the future» and become a reality.
A giant step, according to specialists
Along the same lines, this discovery would allow this silicon qubit to have the ability to interact with light at wavelengths compatible with telecommunications. In this way, it would not be difficult – always in theory – for It could be adapted to any existing optical network. For example, those that are already popularly used in today’s fiber optics.
Of course, the choice of silicon as a base is also of great importance. Silicon is the common material in the semiconductor industry. Thus, if qubits could be integrated into silicon platforms, quantum computing could benefit from all that already consolidated infrastructure. Your move from laboratories to stores could be closer.