NIST physicists have developed a superconducting quantum computing cable that can transfer information between artificial atoms using electronic vibrations. This “quantum bus” could be a key component in future ultra-powerful quantum computers.
The cable, which resembles a miniature TV transmission line, uses superconducting circuits with zero electrical resistance and quantum bits (qubits) that can hold values of 0 and 1 simultaneously. This allows for many calculations to be performed at once, potentially leading to faster and more powerful computing devices.
The NIST team successfully encoded information in one qubit, transferred it to a resonant section of the cable, and then successfully shuttled it to a second qubit. The cable could also be used to refresh qubits, extending their lifetime and creating viable short-term quantum computer memory.
This work, featured on the cover of Nature, is the first demonstration of a superconducting quantum bus. The technology could be used to transfer quantum information between matter and light, linking quantum computers to secure communications systems.
Keywords: Superconducting, Qubits, Quantum Bus, Quantum Information, Microwave Energy
