A possible hangup for quantum computing: Cosmic rays

Image of a chip above iridescent wiring.

Enlarge / Google’s Sycamore processor. (credit score: Google)

Just lately, when researchers have been testing error correction on Google’s quantum processor, they famous an odd phenomenon the place the entire error-correction scheme would sporadically fail badly. They chalked this as much as background radiation, a mix of cosmic rays and the occasional decay of a naturally occurring radioactive isotope.

It appeared like a little bit of an amusing apart on the time—Google having by chance paid for an especially costly cosmic ray detector. However the folks behind the processor took the issue very significantly and are again with a brand new paper that particulars precisely how the radiation impacts the qubits. And so they conclude that the issues brought on by cosmic rays occur usually sufficient to maintain error-corrected quantum computations from working except we work out a method to restrict the rays’ influence.

It’s a disgrace in regards to the rays

Cosmic rays and radioactivity trigger issues for classical computing {hardware} as nicely. That is as a result of classical computer systems depend on transferring and storing prices, and cosmic rays can induce prices after they influence a fabric. Qubits, in distinction, retailer data within the type of the quantum state of an object—within the case of Google’s processor, a loop of superconducting wire linked to a resonator. Cosmic rays have an effect on these, too, however the mechanism is totally completely different.

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