Ultra-pure form of silicon – quantum breakthrough
World’s purest silicon brings scientists one step closer to scaling up quantum computers
More than 100 years ago, scientists at The University of Manchester changed the world when they discovered the nucleus in atoms, marking the birth of nuclear physics.
Fast forward to today, and history repeats itself, this time in quantum computing.
Building on the same pioneering method forged by Ernest Rutherford – “the founder of nuclear physics” – scientists at the University, in collaboration with the University of Melbourne in Australia, have produced an enhanced, ultra-pure form of silicon that allows construction of high-performance qubit devices – a fundamental component required to pave the way towards scalable quantum computers.
The finding, published in the journal Communications Materials – Nature, could define and push forward the future of quantum computing.
Richard Curry, Professor of Advanced Electronic Materials at The University of Manchester, said:
“What we’ve been able to do is effectively create a critical ‘brick’ needed to construct a silicon-based quantum computer. It’s a crucial step to making a technology that has the potential to be transformative for humankind – feasible; a technology that could give us the capability to process data at such as scale, that we will be able to find solutions to complex issues such as addressing the impact of climate change and tackling healthcare challenges. “
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