Brandon J. Weichert
By creating a new state of matter, Microsoft’s engineers have ensured their quantum computer is truly one-of-a-kind.
Everyone is fixated on the race for artificial intelligence dominance. Few, however, are taking the quest for quantum supremacy seriously. They should not lose sight of this—especially because Microsoft has just made what they claim to be a significant breakthrough in the mission to be the leader of the quantum computing revolution.
Microsoft’s “Majorana 1” Quantum Chip
It’s called “Majorana 1,” and Microsoft says it is the world’s first Quantum Processing Unit (QPU) powered by what’s known as a topological core, which is designed to scale to a million qubits on a single chip. And the chip in question—what Microsoft calls a “topoconductor,” short for topological conductor—can fit into the palm of your hand.
The “Majorana 1” device gets its name from “Majorana Zero Modes” (MZMs). An MZM is a unique quantum particle that exists at the edges of certain materials (such as what the Majorana 1 is made of). They must exist in a state of absolute zero to operate. What’s more, they allow for rapid processing of highly complex problems at a very low error rate.
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