NIST researchers have made significant progress in developing quantum computing technology by demonstrating sustained, reliable quantum information processing using electrically charged atoms (ions). The team performed a sequence of five quantum logic operations and 10 transport operations while maintaining the integrity of the binary data stored in the ions, which serve as quantum bits (qubits).
The key innovations in this research include:
1. Using two partner magnesium ions as “refrigerants” to cool the beryllium ions after transporting them, allowing logic operations to continue without additional errors.
2. Employing three different pairs of energy states within the beryllium ions to hold information during different processing steps, protecting against magnetic field fluctuations.
This breakthrough represents a major step towards building practical quantum computers, as it demonstrates the ability to perform complete sets of quantum logic operations while transporting information without degradation. The research was supported in part by the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity.
Keywords: Ion Trapping, Quantum Logic Operations, Sympathetic Cooling, Quantum Information Processing, Qubits
