A Quiet Revolution: New Technique Could Accelerate Noise-Free Superconducting Qubits for Quantum Computing

They found that this gentler cleaning process resulted in an 87% increase in inductance – or the flow of current needed to store data in a magnetic field – compared to conventional, non-suspended superinductors.

“It’s a fabrication technique that could enable us to make super-inductances in both cleaner and more directed ways. It gives us a lot of flexibility to build devices,” Santiago said.

In future work, Santiago, Siddiqi, and team aim to use the new technique to fabricate qubits as part of the 3D Integration project. (Siddiqi is also a professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and heads the Physics Department at the University of California, Berkeley.)

“This pioneering approach could enable new pathways to the engineering and fabrication of superconducting qubits that are much less prone to noise, and more capable of handling complex computations and scientific problems central to ASCR’s goals. Knowing how to make noise-resistant qubits will allow us to advance more efficient quantum computers directed at solving the scientific problems that are key to the Department of Energy’s mission,” said Bert de Jong, QSA director.

As Berkeley Lab joins the celebration of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, breakthroughs like this fabrication technique show the rapid progress in quantum technology, paving the way for more powerful and reliable quantum computers. To learn more about quantum R&D at Berkeley Lab, watch “Berkeley Lab Quantum: Advancing the Science and Technology of the Future.”

This work was supported by the DOE Office of Science. Additional support was provided by the U.S. Army Research Office.

###

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is committed to groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies. The lab’s expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Researchers from around the world rely on the lab’s world-class scientific facilities for their own pioneering research. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 16 Nobel Prizes. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

DOE’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.