Latest news with #magicstatedistillation
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists achieve 'magic state' quantum computing breakthrough 20 years in the making — quantum computers can never be truly useful without it
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. In a world first, scientists have demonstrated an enigmatic phenomenon in quantum computing that could pave the way for fault-tolerant machines that are far more powerful than any supercomputer. The process, called "magic state distillation," was first proposed 20 years ago, but its use in logical qubits has eluded scientists ever since. It has long been considered crucial for producing the high-quality resources, known as "magic states," needed to fulfill the full potential of quantum computers. Magic states are quantum states prepared in advance, which are then consumed as resources by the most complex quantum algorithms. Without these resources, quantum computers cannot tap into the strange laws of quantum mechanics to process information in parallel. Magic state distillation, meanwhile, is a filtering process by which the highest quality magic states are "purified" so they can be utilized by the most complex quantum algorithms. This process has so far been possible on plain, error-prone physical qubits but not on logical qubits — groups of physical qubits that share the same data and are configured to detect and correct the errors that frequently disrupt quantum computing operations. Because magic state distillation in logical qubits has not so far been possible, quantum computers that use logical qubits have not been theoretically able to outpace classical machines. Related: What is quantum superposition and what does it mean for quantum computing? Now, however, scientists with QuEra say they have demonstrated magic state distillation in practice for the first time on logical qubits. They outlined their findings in a new study published July 14 in the journal Nature. "Quantum computers would not be able to fulfill their promise without this process of magic state distillation. It's a required milestone." Yuval Boger, chief commercial officer at QuEra, told Live Science in an interview. Boger was not personally involved in the research. The path to fault-tolerant quantum computing Quantum computers use qubits as their building blocks, and they use quantum logic — the set of rules and operations that govern how quantum information is processed — to run algorithms and process data. But the challenge is running incredibly complex algorithms while maintaining incredibly low error rates. The trouble is that physical qubits are inherently "noisy," which means calculations are often disrupted by factors like temperature changes and electromagnetic radiation. That's why so much research has centered on quantum error correction (QEC). Reducing errors — which occur at a rate of 1 in 1,000 in qubits versus 1 in 1 million, million in conventional bits — prevents disruptions and enables calculations to happen at pace. That's where logical qubits come in. "For quantum computers to be useful, they need to run fairly long and sophisticated calculations. If the error rate is too high, then this calculation quickly turns into mush or to useless data," study lead author of the study Sergio Cantu, vice president of quantum systems at QuEra, told Live Science in an interview. "The entire goal of error correction is to lower this error rate so you could do a million calculations safely." Logical qubits are collections of entangled physical qubits that share the same information and are based on the principle of redundancy. If one or more physical qubits in a logical qubit fail, the calculation isn't disrupted because the information exists elsewhere. But logical qubits are extremely limited, the scientists said, because the error-correction codes applied to them can only run "Clifford gates" — basic operations in quantum circuits. These operations are foundational to quantum circuits, but they're so basic that they can be simulated on any supercomputer. Only by tapping into high-quality magic states can scientists run "non-Clifford gates" and engage in true parallel processing. But generating these is extremely resource-intensive and expensive, and has thus far been unachievable in logical qubits. In essence, relying on magic state distillation in physical qubits alone would never lead to quantum advantage. For that, we need to distill magic states in logical qubits directly. Magic states pave the way for capabilities beyond supercomputing "Magic states allow us to expand the number and the type of operations that we can do. So practically, any quantum algorithm that's of value would require magic states," Cantu said. Generating magic states in physical qubits, as we have been doing, is a mixed bag — there are low-quality and high-quality magic states — and they need to be refined. Only then, can they fuel the most powerful programs and quantum algorithms. In the study, using the Gemini neutral-atom quantum computer, the scientists distilled five imperfect magic states into a single, cleaner magic state. They performed this separately on a Distance-3 and a Distance-5 logical qubit, demonstrating that it scales with the quality of the logical qubit. "A greater distance means better logical qubits. A Distance-2, for instance, means that you can detect an error but not correct it. Distance-3 means that you can detect and correct a single error. Distance-5 would mean that you can detect and correct up to two errors, and so on, and so on," Boger explained. "So the greater the distance, the higher fidelity of the qubit is — and we liken it to distilling crude oil into a jet fuel." RELATED STORIES —Small, room-temperature quantum computers that use light on the horizon after breakthrough, scientists say —'Quantum AI' algorithms already outpace the fastest supercomputers, study says —Scientists forge path to the first million-qubit processor for quantum computers after 'decade in the making' breakthrough As a result of the distillation process, the fidelity of the final magic state exceeded that of any input. This proved that fault-tolerant magic state distillation worked in practice, the scientists said. This means that a quantum computer that uses both logical qubits and high-quality magic states to run non-Clifford gates is now possible. "We're seeing sort of a shift from a few years ago," Boger said. "The challenge was: can quantum computers be built at all? Then it wasL can errors be detected and corrected? Us and Google and others have shown that, yes, that can be done. Now it's about: can we make these computers truly useful? And to make one computer truly useful, other than making them larger, you want them to be able to run programs that cannot be simulated on classical computers."
Sustainability Times
27-06-2025
- Science
- Sustainability Times
'Quantum Breakthrough Just Happened': World's Fastest Magic State Prep Slashes Costs and Ignites New Race for Supremacy
IN A NUTSHELL 🚀 Researchers at the University of Osaka developed a new technique that significantly cuts costs and complexity in quantum computing . . 🔍 The breakthrough involves a novel method called zero-level magic state distillation , which operates directly at the physical level of qubits. , which operates directly at the physical level of qubits. 💡 This approach reduces the number of qubits needed, simplifies setups, and improves performance by cutting spatial and temporal overhead. 🌟 The advance marks a pivotal step toward scalable and fault-tolerant quantum systems that can withstand computational noise. In recent years, the potential of quantum computing has captured the imagination of scientists and technologists alike. Unlike traditional computers that use binary bits, quantum computers utilize qubits, allowing them to tackle complex computations at unprecedented speeds. However, the journey toward building fully functional quantum systems has been fraught with challenges, particularly in managing quantum noise. A groundbreaking development from researchers at the University of Osaka is now setting the stage for a new era in quantum computing, promising to slash costs and reduce the complexity of creating reliable quantum systems. The Quantum Noise Challenge Quantum systems hold immense promise due to their ability to leverage superposition and entanglement, which could revolutionize fields from drug discovery to climate modeling. However, the Achilles' heel of these systems is their susceptibility to noise. As explained by lead researcher Tomohiro Itogawa, 'Quantum systems have always been extremely susceptible to noise. Even the slightest perturbation in temperature or a single wayward photon from an external source can easily ruin a quantum computer setup, making it useless.' This noise is a formidable challenge, rendering quantum computers prone to errors. To combat this, scientists have been focusing on developing fault-tolerant architectures capable of continuing computation even amidst disturbances. These architectures require exceptionally pure 'magic states' to function effectively, but creating such states has historically been an expensive endeavor. The quest for cost-effective solutions has led to significant advancements, as demonstrated by the recent study from the University of Osaka. 'Your Breath Is a Signature': Scientists Reveal Human Breath Is as Unique and Traceable as a Fingerprint The Necessity and Cost of Magic State Distillation Magic state distillation is a technique pivotal for refining noisy quantum states into reliable ones, ensuring that quantum computations are accurate and dependable. However, this process has been notoriously resource-intensive, both in terms of qubits and computational power. According to Keisuke Fujii, senior author of the study, 'The distillation of magic states is traditionally a very computationally expensive process because it requires many qubits.' This resource intensity has been a major barrier to the widespread adoption of quantum computing. The research team sought to explore alternative methods to expedite the preparation of high-fidelity states necessary for quantum computation. Their innovative approach could significantly reduce the cost and complexity associated with magic state distillation, making quantum computing more accessible and scalable. 'Clot-Free Cancer Breakthrough': Scientists Use Sea Cucumbers to Forge Next-Gen Therapies That Rewrite Treatment Norms Introducing Zero-Level Distillation Traditional distillation methods operate at higher logical levels, building complex layers on top of physical qubits. However, the Osaka research team took a radically different approach by working directly at the physical level. They developed a fault-tolerant circuit capable of operating at this 'zeroth' level, bypassing many complexities inherent in multi-layered systems. This innovative strategy resulted in substantial reductions in the number of qubits needed, simplified setups, and enhanced performance. Simulations demonstrated that their method could cut both spatial and temporal overhead by dozens of times, making it a highly efficient solution for quantum state preparation. This breakthrough paves the way for more streamlined and cost-effective quantum computing systems. 'Physics Broken in Antarctica': Mysterious Signal from Ice Baffles Scientists and Defies All Known Particle Laws A Shorter Path to Scalable Quantum Systems With this new distillation technique, researchers might soon overcome one of the most significant barriers to building large-scale quantum computers. The need for massive hardware arrays to create noise-resistant quantum systems could become a thing of the past. Itogawa and Fujii are optimistic about the future, with Itogawa stating, 'Whether one calls it magic or physics, this technique certainly marks an important step toward the development of larger-scale quantum computers that can withstand noise.' The rapid maturation of quantum technology offers promising prospects for various industries and scientific fields. As the technology continues to evolve, the potential applications of quantum computing are boundless, promising to transform industries and solve some of the most complex problems facing humanity. The advancements in quantum computing, particularly in reducing costs and increasing efficiency, are signaling a paradigm shift in technology. As researchers continue to refine these techniques, what other groundbreaking innovations might emerge from the world of quantum science, and how will they reshape our understanding of computation? Our author used artificial intelligence to enhance this article. Did you like it? 4.7/5 (22)
