Quantum computing scientists shatter world record with error rate of merely 0.000015%, promising advancements towards compact and expedient devices.
Breakthrough in Quantum Computing: Error Rate Reduced to 0.000015%
In a groundbreaking development, scientists have achieved a significant milestone in quantum computing, reducing the error rate in single-qubit gate operations to an unprecedented 0.000015%. This record-setting achievement, published in mid-2025, marks a major breakthrough in minimizing errors in single-qubit operations by reducing noise related to microwave control and other sources in trapped-ion systems.
The team, led by researchers at a prominent university, used microwaves to trap a series of calcium-43 ions in place, which were then placed into a hyperfine "atomic clock" state. By calibrating the ions in this manner and implementing an automated procedure that continuously corrects amplitude and frequency drifts in the microwave control used to manipulate the qubits, they were able to create more "quantum gates" with greater precision than photon-based methods.
This achievement corresponds to about one error in every 6.7 million single-qubit gates, showcasing extremely high fidelity. The approach used microwave-driven single-qubit gates with trapped ions, which allows for higher fidelity compared to laser-driven Raman transitions by being less sensitive to motional errors.
This low error rate minimizes the overhead required for quantum error correction, improving the scalability and efficiency of trapped-ion quantum computers. The error rate equates to one error per 6.7 million operations, a significant improvement over the previous record of approximately one error for every 1 million operations, set by the same team in 2014.
However, this study is an important step toward practical, utility-scale quantum computing, but it doesn't address all of the "noise" problems inherent in complex multigate qubit systems. The noise comes from a variety of sources, including imperfections in the control methods and the laws of physics. Engineers and developers won't have to dedicate as many qubits to error correction due to the reduced error rate, but the error rate in two-qubit gate functions is still roughly 1 in 2,000, which hasn't been addressed by this study.
Despite these challenges, this progress significantly reduces the infrastructure required for error correction, opening the way for future quantum computers to be smaller, faster, and more efficient. The study was conducted at room temperature, simplifying the setup for integrating the technology into a working quantum computer. Overall, this achievement represents an improvement of nearly an order of magnitude in both fidelity and speed over previous records, and it brings us one step closer to a future where quantum computers can conduct single-gate operations with nearly zero errors at large scales.
The breakthrough in quantum computing has the potential to revolutionize the world, especially in the realm of science and technology, as it brings us closer to building practical, utility-scale computers with reduced infrastructure for error correction. With the error rate minimized, these future quantum computers may become smaller, faster, and more efficient, impacting various sectors worldwide.
