Israel has developed a million-qubit quantum computer and will soon build a small prototype

Israeli startup QuamCore has unveiled a concept for a robust and practical quantum computer with a million qubits. The main value of the development lies in the unique “compressed” architecture of the cryogenic computing unit. To achieve compactness and the possibility of further scaling, the quantum circuit control circuits were placed closer to the qubits, inside the cryogenic chamber.

Image source: QuamCore

The presentation comes after QuamCore received $9 million in seed funding from Viola Ventures, with participation from early-stage investor Earth & Beyond, Surround Ventures, strategic international investors and the Israel Innovation Authority.

«“We founded the company with one goal in mind: to solve the scaling problem that prevents quantum computers from being practical and useful,” QuamCore CEO and co-founder Alon Cohen told Ynet.

«”We understood from the beginning that the real value was in reaching a million qubits. We have found a way to overcome the main obstacle that has prevented this so far,” he said. “We have a detailed plan for building a million-qubit quantum computer with built-in error correction, which brings us much closer to practical quantum systems that can solve real problems.”

Quantum processors using superconducting technology must operate at temperatures close to absolute zero. To do this, they are placed in cryogenic cooling systems. Hundreds of gold wires connect the chip, creating the “chandelier” look typical of quantum computers. This approach, according to QuamCore, has a scaling limit of about 5,000 qubits. To further expand the platform and increase the number of qubits in this way would require a large-scale cryogenic infrastructure, which is incredibly difficult and expensive.

A classical quantum computer using superconducting qubits. Image source: IBM

The development of QuamCore eliminated a long-standing limitation: the need to place the control system outside the cooling chamber, which was done to prevent the working volume with qubits from heating up. The company created a compact computing unit that can be easily scaled, thereby immediately solving many future problems associated with the creation of cluster structures.

Cohen said the breakthrough reduces computing costs and energy consumption by a factor of 1,000, reduces system assembly time to days, and allows quantum computers to be networked to further increase the number of qubits. The proposed system has only one drawback so far: it exists only on paper.

The investment raises hopes that we will soon see a prototype of an interesting quantum computing architecture. QuamCore employs a group of quantum physicists. The head of QuamCore previously helped found Mobileye, a company that created visualization platforms and was successfully sold to Intel. It is possible that QuamCore, with its incredible prospects for creating a million-qubit computer, will also eventually fall into good hands.