In a world of 32-bit and 64-bit processors, it might surprise you to learn that Intel is releasing a 12-bit chip. Oh, wait, we mean 12-qubit. That makes more sense. Code named Tunnel Falls, the chip uses tiny silicon spin quantum bits, which Intel says are more advantageous than other schemes for encoding qubits. There’s a video about the device below.
It is a “research chip” and will be available to universities that might not be able to produce their own hardware. You probably aren’t going to find them listed on your favorite online reseller. Besides, the chip isn’t going to be usable on a breadboard. It is still going to take a lot of support to get it running.
Intel claims the silicon qubit technology is a million times smaller than other qubit types. The size is on the order of a device transistor — 50 nanometers square — simplifying things and allowing denser devices. In silicon spin qubits, information resides in the up or down spin of a single electron.
Of course, even Intel isn’t suggesting that 12 qubits are enough for a game-changing quantum computer, but you do have to start somewhere. This chip may enable more researchers to test the technology and will undoubtedly help Intel accelerate its research to the next step.
There is a lot of talk that silicon is the way to go for scalable quantum computing. It makes you wonder if there’s anything silicon can’t do? You can access today’s limited quantum computers in the proverbial cloud.
To be clear, what I got from the article is that Intel’s qubit solution is fermion half-odd spin(the particle attribute) measurement of a silicon atom(or a group of atoms with coherence) in a containment matrix, is this correct?
I also presume they are “filtered” for bit-wise operational mode(|0>, |1>) and not the full-quantum superpositional mode(|ψ>)… I don’t know how one would “program” the assembly for that.
“Of course, even Intel isn’t suggesting that 12 qubits are enough for a game-changing quantum computer…”
I feel another historic quote in the making.
Like “640 qubits ought to be enough for anybody”?
Your comment made my day.
As one commenter has said,
” ‘Quantum Computing’–a problem looking for a problem.
Maybe the DEC PDP-8 will be brought back to life. It was 12 bits.
😊👍 Loved it!
Was it developed by the Iranians?
B^)
So, we know how much it will cost, but not its availability. Or, if we know its availability, we don’t know how much it costs.
Best comment!
Yep. I could only compete with this by making the worst comment. (See below)
Well I dunno; that was a pretty funny comment too.
ROTFL
Well you’re in fine form this morning; bravo!
Best comment of the day.
I, on the other hand, wonder if you have to log on to Microsoft after purchase to get the activation key, and if they’ll stop issuing keys when Qubit 16 comes out.
It’s Intel, you will have to license each bit separately and the hypervisor will verify your access online for every scheduled process.
What if Quantum computing was just too good to be true and they really couldn’t get it crackin too deep and complicated too even to get it to work, they’re dreaming so they just forged it and say it’s quantum computing, we wouldn’t know the difference!
You’ll know it works if it breaks RSA 2048 encryption lol
Countries would only need 1 of these to control 3 nations if we are talking multiple frameworks!!!!! What makes me think they are operating now is they are intergrading “other” systems now :) Beam me up Scottie……..
I am not sure, but I suspect the answer to your question somehow involves Planck’s constant.
Thanks Heisenberg.
Can it be programmed with Arduino IDE?
Is this where they need the resources of booting of 16/32-bit systems?
300 qubits long, 50 qubits wide, and 30 qubits high gets you an ark reactor….
I’ll see myself out.
I think it’s reasonable to assume that when a quantum computer comes around that can decrypt common encryption standards they will keep that secret for as long as possible, and not until the technology is done by so many researchers and commercial entities that it can’t be denied they might have a leaker who will reveal they had the thing for the last 10 to 15 years at one of the many spy agencies.
So in short: they might have a working thing already for years now, we would not know.
Or in fact it might be the Chinese that have a thing like that running already, no need to assume the US will be first, although we CAN assume that the US will eventually claim they were first of course :)
I was disappointed that the rhyming in this article ended after the title.
Lol ok,
if you want a tip
bite your lip
grab your pants up to your hip
And get ready for a trip
As this chip
Sound like a sinking ship
And will be remembered as a blip
Or, using chatgpt lol
Intel’s got a plan, prepare for a trip,
They’re set to ship their Quantum Chip!
It’s a marvel of tech, a mind-bending flip,
But make sure it doesn’t slip or fall into a dip!
With qubits and bits, it’s a quantum quip,
Computing power that’ll make your jaw grip!
Calculations so fast, it’ll make your head whip,
But don’t let it get lost in a sea of dip!
Intel’s engineers give it a test whip,
Their brains working hard to make it equip,
It’s a breakthrough invention, a quantum ship,
But remember, don’t eat it like a bag of chips!
I have had a fortunate fifty year career in IT. I cut my teeth on IBM mini’s and mainframes. I just taught a Quantum 101-Quantum Awareness class for WASTC…utilizing IBM’s Quantum SDK and network. I didn’t have to wait. Don’t misunderstand, I have a lot to thank Intel for in my career as well…and I wish them well.