Microsoft has unveiled a new quantum chip, the Majorana 1, which it claims is less prone to errors than rival chips. The hybrid chip combines semiconductors and superconductors, using a subatomic particle called the Majorana fermion to reduce errors.
The company’s prediction that quantum computing is “years, not decades” away comes as Google and IBM have made similar predictions. However, the biggest challenge of quantum computers remains controlling qubits, which are prone to errors.
Microsoft developed the chip with indium arsenide and aluminum and uses a superconducting nanowire to observe particles. The company believes that its lower error rates will allow for fewer qubits to be needed in the future.
The chip was fabricated at Microsoft labs in Washington state and Denmark, and researchers have hailed it as an “exciting development” in quantum research. While scaling up the technology is still a challenge, experts believe that Microsoft’s use of a hybrid approach may be a promising route forward.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/technology/microsoft-creates-chip-it-says-shows-quantum-computers-are-years-not-decades-2025-02-19