For the first time, a quantum computer has corrected its own errors while performing calculations, a significant step towards reliable quantum computing. This achievement marks a breakthrough in quantum error correction, a technique that is crucial for these computers to solve complex problems.
Quantum computers rely on qubits (quantum bits) that are prone to “jitters” or errors due to the laws of quantum physics. These mistakes can significantly impact calculation results. To overcome this issue, scientists have developed quantum error correction methods.
In a recent breakthrough, researchers used multiple faulty qubits to create reliable logical qubits. These logical qubits were then used to perform calculations, allowing the quantum computer to correct its own errors mid-calculation. This approach not only detected but also fixed errors, resulting in improved calculation results.
This achievement builds upon previous efforts that found error correction methods either worsened or did not effectively fix errors. The success of this technique paves the way for more reliable and efficient quantum computing, which has the potential to solve complex problems that classical computers cannot.
Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/quantum-computer-error-correction