Microsoft Creates Quantum Chips, Future Computer Claims Only A Few Years Away

JAKARTA - Microsoft announced the creation of the latest quantum chip which is claimed to bring the era of a quantum computer closer than previously thought. This chip called Majorana 1 is said to have a lower error rate compared to its competing quantum chip.

Quantum computing promises the ability to perform calculations that will take millions of years with today's classic computers. This technology is believed to be able to open new discoveries in the fields of medicine, chemistry, and various other sectors that require complex calculations with an infinite combination of molecules.

However, quantum computers also present a major threat to cybersecurity systems today, where most encryption relies on the assumption that existing security systems take a long time to penetrate.

Breakthrough In Quantum Chip

One of the main challenges in the development of quantum computers is qubits, elementary elements that function similarly to bits in classical computers but are much faster and difficult to control because they are prone to errors. Microsoft claims that Majorana 1 is more resistant to errors than other quantum chips. This claim is supported by a scientific paper to be published in the academic journal Nature.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang previously stated that quantum computer technology was still two decades away before it could surpass the performance of its company-made chips widely used in artificial intelligence (AI). However, Google responded to the statement by saying that a quantum computer commercial app could be present in the next five years, while IBM is targeting a large scale quantum computer to be available by 2033.

Majorana 1 Chip Advantage

Majorana 1 has been developed by Microsoft for nearly two decades and utilized a subatomic particle named Majorana fermions, which was first put forward in physics theory in the 1930s. These particles have unique properties that make them more resistant to errors, but are extremely difficult to find and controllable by physicists.

This chip is made using armenide and aluminum indium materials and relies on superconducting nanowires to observe these particles. Microsoft also claims that this chip can be controlled with standard computing equipment.

Despite having fewer qubits than quantum chips from Google and IBM, Microsoft argues that this smaller number of qubits is still capable of generating useful quantum computers due to lower error rates.

Future Prospects

Microsoft does not provide a definite timeline for when this chip will be further developed to be able to surpass the current classical computers. However, the company stated in its official blog that the achievement was only "a few years away, not decades."

Jason Zander, Microsoft's Executive Vice President, who oversees the company's long-term strategy, called Majorana 1 development a high-risk strategy but with huge yield potential.

"The hardest part is solving the challenges of physics. There are no textbooks for this, so we have to create it ourselves," Zander said. "We really created the ability to make this, atom after atom, layer by layer."

Philip Kim, professor of physics from Harvard University who was not involved in Microsoft's research, called the company's move an interesting development and put Microsoft at the forefront of quantum research. According to him, Microsoft's approach to combining traditional semiconductors with exotic superconductors is a promising step to create scalable quantum chips.

"While there hasn't been any real demonstrations on a large scale, what they're doing is really working," Kim said.