Quantum computing has reached a pivotal milestone thanks to Equal1, a leader in silicon-powered quantum technology.
The company has announced remarkable advancements in both quantum controller chips and silicon qubit performance, laying a strong foundation for scalable, practical quantum systems.
These breakthroughs underscore the potential of silicon to drive the next generation of quantum innovation.
Understanding the quantum controller chip
A quantum controller chip is a critical component in quantum computing systems. Unlike traditional chips, these devices are designed to operate in extreme environments, such as cryogenic temperatures, to ensure the delicate quantum states of qubits are maintained.
They handle the complex tasks of initialising, manipulating, and reading out qubits with the precision and speed required for high-performance quantum computations.
This technology is essential for scaling quantum computers, as it enables the coordination of vast networks of qubits needed for solving complex problems.
Equal1’s latest quantum controller chip not only manages these operations but also integrates advanced features, such as adaptive error correction, to optimise system reliability and performance.
Record-breaking performance in silicon qubits
Equal1’s silicon qubit array has achieved industry-leading performance, marking a significant step toward scalable quantum systems.
The company demonstrated single-qubit gate operations with a fidelity of 99.4% and a speed of 84 nanoseconds, as well as two-qubit gate operations with a fidelity of 98.4% and a speed of 72 nanoseconds.
Nodar Samkharadze, Equal1’s Chief Quantum Architect, said: “This result demonstrates the massive benefit of silicon qubits – the ability to achieve the performance required for scaling in two key areas – fidelity and speed of quantum gates.”
These achievements were realised using a six-qubit array fabricated on a silicon-germanium (SiGe) platform compatible with CMOS manufacturing processes.
This compatibility with existing silicon infrastructure underscores a key advantage of Equal1’s approach: the ability to manufacture high-performance quantum processors using well-established and cost-effective technologies.
The fidelity and speed of these operations highlight the suitability of silicon as a foundation for quantum computing.
With these metrics, Equal1 has addressed critical challenges in quantum computing, including reliability and the rapid execution of quantum gates, bringing the technology closer to practical real-world applications.
Innovation in cryogenic quantum control
Adding to its list of breakthroughs, Equal1 has unveiled the first multi-tile quantum controller chip integrated into its UnityQ Quantum-System-on-Chip platform.
This chip operates at cryogenic temperatures of 300 millikelvins, a necessity for maintaining qubit coherence. It is powered by Arm Cortex cores, which provide the computational capability to manage complex operations at unprecedented scales.
This controller chip represents a significant leap in scalability. Its multi-tile architecture enables the coordination of millions of qubits on a single chip, paving the way for quantum systems capable of tackling highly complex computations.
Another key innovation is the inclusion of patented AI-enabled Qubit Adaptive Error Correction technology. This system dynamically adjusts error correction parameters for each tile, optimising performance in real-time and supporting advanced error correction algorithms as they evolve.
Silicon’s role in scalable quantum computing
Equal1’s silicon-based approach stands out for its practicality and potential. By leveraging the global silicon semiconductor infrastructure, the company ensures its solutions are both scalable and cost-effective.
This approach avoids the need for specialised fabrication facilities, reducing costs and accelerating the path to large-scale quantum computing.
The company’s all-to-all connectivity model further enhances its architecture, enabling efficient operations across the quantum system.
This connectivity, combined with the high fidelity and speed of the gates, ensures the system can handle next-generation quantum algorithms required for real-world applications.
Towards practical applications of quantum technology
Equal1’s advancements are not just technical achievements – they have significant implications for industries and research fields worldwide.
Quantum computing has the potential to revolutionise areas such as cryptography, material science, and artificial intelligence by solving problems that are currently intractable for classical computers.
With its record-breaking silicon qubit performance and innovative quantum controller chip, Equal1 is accelerating the transition of quantum computing from experimental labs to practical, scalable systems.
By harnessing silicon’s potential, the company is creating a future where quantum technology is accessible, efficient, and impactful.
