Quantum Computer Could Be Ready by 2030, Caltech Researchers Say

Prior estimates held that millions of qubits would be needed for a quantum computer to operate reliably.

Crypto News

Researchers at the California Institute of Technology say a functional quantum computer may require far fewer qubits than previously thought, bringing the technology closer to deployment within this decade. The findings came from Caltech working alongside Oratomic, a Caltech-linked startup, and were presented publicly on Tuesday.

Prior estimates held that millions of qubits would be needed for a quantum computer to operate reliably. A qubit is the basic unit of quantum computing, performing the same encoding function as a bit in a classical computer. Caltech now says a working machine could be built with as few as 10,000 to 20,000 qubits, provided error rates are reduced sufficiently.

"The need for fewer qubits means that quantum computers could, in theory, be operational by the end of the decade," Caltech said in a statement.

The reduction is made possible through a proposed error-correction architecture based on neutral-atom systems, in which individual atoms are physically moved and connected across large distances using lasers called optical tweezers. Caltech professor of physics Manuel Endres, who recently assembled the largest qubit array ever built, said the approach allows atoms to be entangled directly across the full length of the array, a capability not available on other quantum computing platforms.