A new quantum processor built on silicon will soon be made available to a select few universities and other institutions across the US, potentially giving more researchers an opportunity to tinker with quantum computing hardware first hand.
Crafted by the computer chip manufacturer Intel, it's hoped that the new processor – offering twice as many qubits as a similar component announced last year – will drive research into quantum computing and bring the technology closer to becoming a practical reality.
While quantum computing technology has advanced in leaps and bounds devices are still more like prototypes or proofs of concept than practical machines, prone to stability issues and errors and requiring super-specific lab conditions.
Dubbed Tunnel Falls, Intel's new 12-qubit quantum processing unit (or QPU) was developed to recruit scientists far and wide in a quest to realize the full potential of quantum computing.
"Tunnel Falls is Intel's most advanced silicon spin qubit chip to date and draws upon the company's decades of transistor design and manufacturing expertise," says Jim Clarke, the director of Quantum Hardware at Intel.
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