Today, Intel announced the delivery of a 17-qubit superconducting test chip for quantum computing to QuTech, Intel’s quantum research partner in the Netherlands. The new chip was fabricated by Intel and features a unique design to achieve improved yield and performance. The delivery of this chip demonstrates the fast progress Intel and QuTech are making in researching and developing a working quantum computing system. It also underscores the importance of material science and semiconductor manufacturing in realizing the promise of quantum computing.
Quantum computing, in essence, is the ultimate in parallel computing, with the potential to tackle problems conventional computers can’t handle. For example, quantum computers may simulate nature to advance research in chemistry, materials science and molecular modeling – like helping to create a new catalyst to sequester carbon dioxide, or create a room temperature superconductor or discover new drugs. However, despite much experimental progress and speculation, there are inherent challenges to building viable, large-scale quantum systems that produce accurate outputs. Making qubits (the building blocks of quantum computing) uniform and stable is one such obstacle.
Qubits非常脆弱：任何噪音或意外观察它们都会导致数据丢失。这种脆弱性要求他们在大约20 millikelvin的情况下运行 - 比深空的250倍。这个极端的操作环境使Qubits键的包装关键在于它们的性能和功能。英特尔的俄罗斯组件研究组（CR）在俄罗斯的俄勒冈州和大会测试和技术开发（ATTD）团队正在推动芯片设计和包装技术的限制，以解决量子计算的独特挑战。
关于四分之一的大小（在一个包装大小的包装的包装中），新的17个Qubit测试芯片的改进设计功能包括：
- New architecture allowing improved reliability, thermal performance and reduced radio frequency (RF) interference between qubits.
- A scalable interconnect scheme that allows for 10 to 100 times more signals into and out of the chip as compared to wirebonded chips.
- Advanced processes, materials and designs that enable Intel’s packaging to scale for quantum integrated circuits, which are much larger than conventional silicon chips.
“Our quantum research has progressed to the point where our partner QuTech is simulating quantum algorithm workloads, and Intel is fabricating new qubit test chips on a regular basis in our leading-edge manufacturing facilities,” said Dr. Michael Mayberry, corporate vice president and managing director of Intel Labs. “Intel’s expertise in fabrication, control electronics and architecture sets us apart and will serve us well as we venture into new computing paradigms, from neuromorphic to quantum computing.”
Intel’s collaborative relationship with QuTech to accelerate advancements in quantum computing began in 2015. Since that time, the collaboration has achieved many milestones – from demonstrating key circuit blocks for an integrated cryogenic-CMOS control system to developing a spin qubit fabrication flow on Intel’s 300mm process technology and developing this unique packaging solution for superconducting qubits. Through this partnership, the time from design and fabrication to test has been greatly accelerated.
“通过这个测试芯片，我们将专注于连接，控制和测量若干纠缠符号朝向纠错方案和逻辑量Qubit，”Qutech的Leo Dicarlo教授说。“这项工作将使我们能够揭示Quantum Computing的新见解，这将塑造下一个发展阶段。”
Advancing the Quantum Computing System
英特尔和Qutech在量子计算中的工作超出了超导量子位装置的开发和测试。协作跨越整个量子系统 - 或“堆栈” - 从Qubit设备到控制这些设备以及量子应用所需的硬件和软件架构。所有这些元素对于推进从研究到现实的量子计算至关重要。
此外，与其他人不同，英特尔正在调查多种量子位类型。这些包括结合到该最新测试芯片中的超导Qubits，以及硅中的替代类型称为旋转Qubits。这些旋转QUBITS类似于单个电子晶体管，以许多方式类似于传统晶体管，并且可能能够以可比的过程制造。
虽然量子计算机承诺更大的效率和性能来处理某些问题，但它们不会取代传统计算或其他新兴技术的需求，如神经形态计算。我们需要技术进步，即摩尔定律提供以发明和规模这些新兴技术。
英特尔投资不仅发明的新方法computing, but also to advance the foundation of Moore’s Law, which makes this future possible.
Source:TPU
