Quantum Computing Breakthrough: H2-1 Surpasses Google's Sycamore
A new quantum computer, H2-1, has shattered the world record for "quantum advantage," outperforming Google's Sycamore quantum computer by a staggering 100 times.
This groundbreaking achievement was accomplished by a team of scientists at the American quantum computing company, Quantinuum. The researchers conducted rigorous tests to evaluate the performance of H2-1, a 56-qubit quantum computer, and the quality of the qubits it utilizes. Their findings were published on the arXiv database, a repository for scientific articles.
The Power of Quantum Computing
Quantum computers harness the principles of quantum mechanics, including superposition and entanglement, to perform multiple computations concurrently. This contrasts with traditional computers which operate sequentially. Adding more qubits to a quantum system exponentially boosts its power. Scientists predict that, in the future, quantum computers will be able to perform complex calculations in mere seconds that would take traditional supercomputers thousands of years to complete.
The point at which a quantum computer surpasses a traditional computer is known as "quantum advantage." However, to achieve this milestone practically, quantum computers would require millions of qubits. The largest machine currently available only has around 1,000 qubits. This demand for a vast number of qubits arises from their inherent vulnerability to errors. Therefore, a large number of qubits is necessary to correct these errors. Currently, many researchers are focusing on developing more reliable qubits rather than simply increasing their quantity.
Quantinuum's H2-1: A Quantum Leap Forward
In the new study, the team assessed the accuracy of H2-1's output data using the Linear Cross-Entropy Benchmark (XEB) protocol. The XEB score ranges from 0 (completely erroneous output) to 1 (completely error-free).
Google first evaluated its Sycamore quantum computer with XEB in 2019, demonstrating its ability to complete a calculation in 200 seconds that would have taken the most powerful supercomputer at the time 10,000 years. They recorded an XEB score of approximately 0.002 for the 53 superconducting qubits integrated into Sycamore.
The research team, including experts from Quantinuum, JPMorgan, the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and Argonne National Laboratory, achieved an XEB score of approximately 0.35 with H2-1. This signifies that the 56-qubit quantum computer generates error-free results 35% of the time.
"35% is a significant step towards the 100% accuracy limit â€" the ideal," Quantinuum states. Furthermore, the new quantum computer can execute algorithms with an energy consumption that is 30,000 times lower than traditional computers.
Summary
The development of H2-1, a quantum computer capable of outperforming Google's Sycamore by a factor of 100, represents a significant leap forward in the field of quantum computing. This breakthrough, achieved by researchers at Quantinuum, highlights the growing potential of quantum computers to tackle complex calculations with unparalleled efficiency. The impressive XEB score and low energy consumption of H2-1 underscore the rapid advancement of quantum technology and its potential to revolutionize various scientific and industrial domains. While further research and development are needed to fully realize the promise of quantum computing, H2-1's impressive performance offers a glimpse into a future where quantum computers may become indispensable tools for solving some of the world's most challenging problems.