To boost quantum computer performance, it is as important to determine how to consolidation countless quantum chips and keep them at cryogenic temperatures as it is to increase the number of Qubits. IBM has taken a step toward building large-scale quantum computers by demonstrating a modular cooling architecture that can bundle multiple quantum chips into a single system.
IBM said on the 19th that it successfully cooled two cryogenic modules by consolidation them into a single environment. Instead of placing multiple quantum chips in separate equipment, the company implemented a structure that can scale into one large quantum system by consolidation multiple modules.
IBM presented this as a foundational technology for "IBM Quantum Starling," a large-scale fault-tolerant quantum computer targeted for construction in 2029.
The two cryogenic modules now in operation each exceed 8 feet (about 2.4 meters) in height and width. In initial tests, the two modules were cooled to 4 kelvin, the level of liquid helium, within five days and ultimately reached temperatures below 15 millikelvin.
Quantum chips must operate in an ultra-low-temperature environment because they are affected by minute changes in external conditions. IBM said the vacuum chamber of each module provides up to 12 times more wiring space than its current flagship quantum systems. This allows more quantum chips to be placed inside a module and for consolidation between modules.
IBM applied a method of directly consolidation different quantum processors using a consolidation technology called "L-coupler." This technology is used to enable multiple quantum chips to exchange information and operate like a single large quantum computer.
IBM plans to build a system with at least 1,000 programmable Qubits using the L-coupler by next year. Within this year, the company plans to mount the next-generation processor "IBM Quantum Nighthawk" on the new cryogenic module to verify its performance.
In the long term, the goal is to build "IBM Quantum Starling" in 2029. IBM plans to combine large-scale quantum chips with error-correction technology in Starling to realize a fault-tolerant quantum computer usable in real-world industrial settings.
Jay Gambetta, president of IBM Research and IBM Fellow, said, "To use fault-tolerant quantum computers in industrial settings, several technical challenges must be addressed," and added, "This cryogenic module consolidation is one step in that process."