Amazon Web Services has launched Ocelot, a quantum computing chip designed to facilitate reduction of implementation costs for the quantum correction of errors up to 90% with respect to current approaches. Developed at the California Institute of Technology by the AWS Quantum Computing Team, Ocelot is, because of its characteristics, a chip that represents an advance in the search for the construction of quantum computers tolerant of failures and that are able to solve problems of business and scientific relevance that are currently out of the reach of conventional computers.
The design of the Ocelot architecture incorporates the correction of errors from scratch, and uses the known as “Qubit Cat.” This type of qbit, named for the famous mental experiment of the Schrödinger cat, is characterized by intrinsicly suppressing certain forms of error, which reduces the resources needed to perform the quantum correction of errors.
By using a new approach to Ocelot design, AWS researchers have used cat qubits technology for the first time. They have combined it with several correction components of additional quantum errors in a microchip, which is characterized because they can be manufactured in a scalable way using processes processes of the microelectronics sector.
AWS OLELOT consists of two integrated silicon microchips, each of an approximate area of a square centimeter, superimposed on a stack of electrically connected chips. On the surface of each of the microchips, silicon, there are fine layers of superconductor materials that form the elements of the quantum circuit.
The Ocelot circuits are composed of 14 components: 5 Data qubits, known as Cat Qubits. Five other “buffer” circuits, in charge of stabilizing the data circuits, and four additional qubits to detect errors in data qubits.
Cat qubits are responsible for storing quantum states employees in computer. For this, they are based on components called oscillators, which generate a repetitive electrical signal and that has a constant timing. These oscillators are made of a fine superconductive film, of a material called Tantalo. AWS material researchers have developed a specific way to process the tantal in the silicon chip so that the performance of the oscillators increases.
A design with quantum correction of errors from scratch
Ocelot also achieves, thanks to its design, to solve one of the main challenges of quantum computing: the high sensitivity of quantum computers to the smallest changes in their surroundings, known as noises. Among the variables that can the quantum status of the hills are vibrations, heat, electromagnetic interference of mobile phones and Wi -Fi networks. Also cosmic rays and outer space radiation.
This involves a problem for quantum computing, since they can get the qubits out of their quantum status and cause errors in the calculation that is being performed when such interference occurs. So far this has meant one of the greatest obstacles to the construction of quantum computers capable of carrying out calculations, reliable and without errors, of a high level of complexity.
To solve this problem, quantum computers use quantum error correction systems. This uses special codifications of quantum information in multiple qubits, in the form of logical qubits, to protect quantum information from the environment.
In this way it is also possible to detect and correct errors as they occur. But unfortunately, since a large number of qubits are needed to achieve precise results, current error quantum correction methods have an excessively high cost, which is considered practically prohibitive.
According to OSKAR PAINTER, AWS quantum hardware directorthe biggest challenge faced by experts and researchers in quantum computing is not to build more qubits, but make them work reliably, by barriers like the one we have just mentioned. Ocelot has developed with error correction integrated precisely to address the problems associated with quantum error correction.
According to Painter, the researchers who have developed it observed «How others approached the quantum correction of errors and decided to take a different path, ”explains Painter. «We do not take an existing architecture and try to incorporate error correction later. We chose our QBIT and our architecture with the quantum correction of errors as the main requirement. We believe that if we are going to manufacture practical quantum computers, the quantum correction of errors must be the first«.
Painter also points out that Ocelot expansion «still Complete quantum computer capable of having a transformative social impact would require only one tenth of the resources associated with standard approaches to correcting quantum errors«. Another advantage of this chip with respect to other conventional quantum chips.
OLELOT needs less resources for quantum correction of errors
We can see quantum correction in the context of quality control in manufacturing, and the difference between needing an inspection point to detect all defects, instead of needing a dozen for it. With Ocellot something similar happens, since it offers the same result as other chips in terms of correction of quantum computing errors, but needs much less resources for it. Besides, They have also generally improved the manufacturing process of this type of chips.
By lowering the amount of resources necessary to manufacture a quantum chips using this new design with ocelot, quantum computers can be built to be smaller, and also have greater reliability. All for a lower cost than with a conventional design of quantum chips.
This new approach used with Ocelot, in addition, accelerates the path to the use of quantum computing in future applications for the real world. Among them, the discovery and development of drugs with more agility, the production of new materials, the ability to make more precise predictions on risk and investment strategies in financial markets.
Of course, despite the fact that Ocelot’s characteristics, and what promises, do not forget that this chip is still a prototype that can continue to evolve. In this regard, AWS undertakes to continue investing in quantum research and perfecting the approach used in the construction of the chip.
About this, Painter points out that in AWS they have done nothing but start, and that They believe they still have to overcome several more stages of climbingbecause the design of quantum computer chips, and the construction of quantum computers «es a very difficult problem to address and we will have to continue investing in basic research, while we stay connected and learn from the important work that is done in the academic world. Right now, our task is to continue innovating throughout the quantum computer battery, continue examining whether we are using adequate architecture and incorporate these learning to our engineering efforts. It is a continuous improvement and climbing wheel«.
For now, those who want to know more about Ocelot can take a look at the article that members of the Chip Development Team in Nature have published with their discoveries.
