Scientists reveal new quantum computer prototype

HEFEI — Chinese scientists have unveiled a superconducting quantum computer prototype called Zuchongzhi 3.0, marking a major breakthrough in the country's quantum computing research.

Developed by a team of Chinese quantum physicists that includes Pan Jianwei, Zhu Xiaobo and Peng Chengzhi, Zuchongzhi 3.0 features 105 readable qubits and 182 couplers.

It can process quantum random circuit sampling tasks at speeds a quadrillion times faster than the world's most powerful supercomputer, and 1 million times faster than results achieved by Google that were published in the journal Nature in October 2024, according to the team.

The achievement also set a record in quantum computational advantage within superconducting systems. Quantum computational advantage, also known as quantum supremacy, refers to the point at which quantum computers outperform the most advanced classic supercomputers in specific tasks.

The milestone validates the feasibility of quantum computing and reflects China's research strength in the field.

China and the United States are the two leading countries in quantum computing research, with each achieving groundbreaking advancements.

In 2019, Google's Sycamore quantum processor became the first to demonstrate quantum supremacy. In 2020, Chinese researchers developed Jiuzhang, achieving a similar milestone using a different quantum technology.

In 2021, China introduced Zuchongzhi 2.1, a 66-qubit programmable superconducting quantum system, making it the first country to demonstrate quantum computational advantage in two mainstream technical approaches.

According to the research team, Zuchongzhi 3.0 significantly improves on its predecessor in key performance metrics, achieving what they call a globally leading level of quantum computational power.

The study was published in the journal Physical Review Letters. Peer reviewers described the research as "benchmarking a new superconducting quantum computer, which shows state-of-the-art performance" and "a significant upgrade from the previous 66-qubit device".

The global scientific community has outlined a three-step roadmap for developing experimental quantum computing.

The first step is achieving quantum supremacy. The second involves developing quantum simulators with hundreds of controllable qubits to tackle real-world problems beyond the reach of supercomputers. And the third focuses on improving qubit control precision, integration scale and error correction to create programmable, general-purpose quantum computers.

The researchers behind Zuchongzhi 3.0 are exploring various related fields, including quantum error correction, quantum entanglement, quantum simulation and quantum chemistry.

Zhu said the team is currently conducting surface code error correction research with a code distance of seven. After further progress, they plan to extend it to nine and 11, laying the groundwork for large-scale qubit integration and control.

Xinhua