Quantum computers promise dimensions more computing power than conventional systems, but they suffer from a serious problem: They are extremely prone to errors, so error correction is essential – and this is very difficult to implement. Researchers at ETH Zurich are now reporting a milestone in quantum error correction. For the first time, errors in the quantum system could be automatically corrected to the extent that the results of the quantum operations can be used in practice.
Previous methods for error correction could only identify and correct one of two fundamental types of errors. A research team led by Andreas Wallraff, Director of the Quantum Center at ETHZ, is now presenting the first system that can both detect and correct both types of errors, and does so again. Wallraff says: “The proof that errors in a quantum computer working with quantum bits (qubits) can be corrected quickly and repeatedly is a breakthrough on the way to a practical quantum computer. That we succeeded together with our colleagues from Germany and Canada is the first group to implement a practical error correction with qubits confirms that we at ETH Zurich really do play in the top league of quantum research. ”
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