This was reported by Microsoft's press service.
It is noted that this chip utilizes the world's first topological conductor—a revolutionary type of material that enables the observation and control of Majorana particles, thus creating more reliable and scalable qubits, which are the fundamental building blocks of quantum computers.
Recall that Majorana particles possess unique quantum properties. Microsoft named its chip Majorana 1 specifically due to the use of these particles.
Just as the invention of semiconductors enabled modern smartphones, computers, and electronics, topological conductors, along with this new type of chip, are paving the way for the development of quantum systems that can scale to a million qubits and tackle the most complex industrial and social challenges, Microsoft stated.
“We took a step back and said, ‘Alright, let’s invent a transistor for the quantum era. What properties should it have?’” says Chetan Nayak, a technical expert at Microsoft. “That’s how we arrived at this result—a unique combination, quality, and important details in our new material stack allowed us to create a new type of qubit and, ultimately, the entire architecture.”