Quantum leap for local tech research

A groundbreaking technique to map a quantum environment has been developed by an Australian company, with researchers saying it could change the future of quantum computing.

Interior of a quantum computer.

A groundbreaking technique to map a quantum environment has been developed by an Australian company, with researchers saying it could change the future of quantum computing and set the industry on track to deliver a functional quantum processor at scale.

Quantum computing manufacturer Silicon Quantum Computing announced its novel method to precisely detect the position of individual nuclear spins in a silicon chip on Thursday – a significant achievement in the field of quantum sensing.

“This result is an important milestone in being able to engineer and understand the impact of the local atomic environment of our qubits, as we continue our progress towards delivering a functional quantum processor at scale,” SQC founder and CEO Michelle Simmons said.

Professor Simmons said the technique worked by using the entanglement of the qubit as a sensor to discover what nuclear spins are in its environment.

“Nuclear spins – any kind of magnetic or electronic defect – will cause your qubit to lose its state, so you ought to minimise any noise or unpleasantries in the environment to get your qubit clean by understanding what’s around it,” she said.

“If you can measure what’s in the local environment of the qubit, you can control the environment and maintain it.”

The unique knowledge gained from the technique also deepens the understanding of the role nuclear spins have on the operation of qubits in silicon.

This knowledge will allow quantum scientists to use their globally unique atomic precision manufacturing technology to optimise the design of their processors for maximum quality and efficiency as they scale.

“This highlights why it is essential to understand and control a quantum computer’s environment at the atomic-scale,” said Dr Ludwik Kranz, the lead author of the paper Atom-based Magnetic Field Sensors published in the journal Advanced Materials.

“By understanding how the nuclear spins in the local environment affect the entangling gates, we can more efficiently design and optimise the next generation of devices tailored for real-world use.”