The tiniest quantum Intel chip has been made by the Intel researchers. This new “spin qubit chip” marks a forward step for the Intel researchers towards foraying into quantum computing. Intel’s D1D Fab in Oregon made this chip (which is smaller than a pencil’s eraser) employing the same Silicon manufacturing techniques used in its erstwhile traditional computer chips.
Interestingly enough, this new chip on the block runs at very low temperatures that are approximately 460 degrees below 0 Fahrenheit (250 times colder than the atmosphere in space) and the prerequisite for quantum computing.
On a differing note from the contemporary computing devices, this new chip does not have transistors, but rather quantum bits or qubits that can hold a single electron, which is a significant development brought forth by Intel with this chip in the realm of quantum computing as the single electron can inhabit multiple spin states simultaneously, thereby yielding greater computing power than the transistors of today. It won’t be an overstatement to state then that the very basis of quantum computing is headed for a progressive transformation with this new “spin qubit chip”.
Another impressive feature held by Intel’s new chip is that its qubits are extremely, rather miniscule, being only about 50 nanometers and therefore can be seen only under an electron microscope. The fact that about 1,500 qubits could easily fit across the diameter of a single human hair strand will help us visualise exactly how small these qubits are.
This is a positive for the Intel researchers as it implies then that the extraordinarily small new Intel spin qubit chip could be dramatically scaled up in terms of its design. This also means that in the future up ahead, quantum computing has an uphill journey waiting for its course as the future quantum computers will be able to contain thousands to millions of qubits, surpassing today’s fastest supercomputers in terms of computing power. In line with one of its taglines, with the testing of this new chip that is set to redefine quantum computing, Intel is sure to ‘leap ahead’ in the domain of quantum computers.
