Tech developers Quantinuum have announced the next generation of its quantum hardware: Helios. This device pushes further into the quantum advantage regime than any system before it with significantly higher performance than other quantum computers.
Benchmarking tests conducted with Sandia National Laboratories also show that this new machine reaches far beyond the simulation abilities of classical computers.
With an unprecedented 2:1 ratio of 98 physical qubits to 48 logical qubits while maintaining the industry’s highest fidelities of any commercial system, the system’s higher performance is due to a new ion trap ‘junction’ design, a new qubit building block (Barium 137), and new real-time and dynamic classical control software.
In quantum computing, fidelity is a metric that determines the accuracy of system’s computation. The lower a system’s error rate, the higher its fidelity.
With Barium 137 this presents an alternative is to use optical transitions, which can be used for high-fidelity readout via a shelving technique to a metastable state. To date, a combination of both hyperfine and optical qubit approaches has been demonstrated.
Helios enables developers to program a quantum computer in much the same way they program heterogeneous classical computers. A new, modern Python-based programming language called Guppy allows developers to seamlessly combine hybrid compute capabilities — quantum and classical — in a single program.
“The next computing inflection point starts today,” explains Dr. Rajeeb Hazra, President & CEO of Quantinuum. “For the first time enterprises can access a highly accurate general purpose quantum computer to drive real world impact, transforming how industries innovate – from drug discovery to finance to advanced materials.”
System performance
The specification for the quantum computer is:
- Physical qubits (PQ): 98 PQ at 99.921% 2-qubit gate fidelity, and 99.9975% 1-qubit gate fidelity.
- Logical qubits (LQ):
- 94 LQ (error detected) globally entangled with better than physical performance;
- 50 LQ (error detected) with better than physical performance in a magnetism simulation; and
- 48 LQ (error corrected) with better than physical performance (99.99% state prep and measurement fidelity).
Helios unlocks the ability to enhance GenAI models with quantum generated data, thereby further unlocking AI’s potential in areas such as data analysis, material design, and quantum chemistry.
Firms working with Quantinuum and seeking to take advantage of quantum computers include:
- Amgen: An investor and research collaborator, exploring hybrid quantum-machine learning to advance data-driven discovery in biologics.
- BlueQubit: AI image recognition using real-world driving video data.
- BMW Group: advancing sustainable mobility through materials research on fuel cell catalysts.
- JPMorganChase: researching potential capabilities for advanced financial analytics.
- SoftBank Corp.: exploring organic materials for next-gen batteries, optical switches, and solar cells.
Many firms regard quantum computing as something beyond just a technology investment. Instead, it is conceived as a people strategy.
