Did You Know: China’s New Quantum Machine Runs One Million Times Faster Than Google’s

TDT | Manama
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A revolutionary breakthrough in quantum computing has just been unveiled by the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The team has developed the Zuchongzhi-3, a quantum machine boasting an astonishing 105 qubits and 182 couplers. This new system performs calculations at an unparalleled speed—one million times faster than Google's latest quantum computer and 10¹⁵ times faster than the most powerful supercomputers today.

The Zuchongzhi-3 quantum chip, which represents a monumental leap in the race for quantum supremacy, has been developed by a team led by Jianwei Pan, Xiaobo Zhu, Chengzhi Peng, and other researchers. This marks a major advancement from its predecessor, Zuchongzhi-2, and builds on the foundation of China's quantum computing prowess.

Breakthrough in Quantum Computing

The Zuchongzhi-3 quantum processor pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in quantum computing. Operating at speeds that far exceed those of classical supercomputers, Zuchongzhi-3 is a significant step forward in the field of random quantum circuit sampling, a critical task in the journey toward quantum supremacy.

In 2019, Google’s 53-qubit Sycamore processor claimed quantum supremacy by performing a random circuit sampling task in 200 seconds—an achievement said to take over 10,000 years for the fastest supercomputer at the time. However, in 2023, USTC researchers demonstrated a classical algorithm that completed the same task in just 14 seconds using 1,400 A100 GPUs. The advancement continued with the Frontier supercomputer, which managed to execute the task in just 1.6 seconds, challenging Google’s previous claims of quantum supremacy.

Jiuzhang and Zuchongzhi: Milestones in Quantum Research

The progress didn’t stop there. In 2020, USTC researchers made history by achieving quantum supremacy with their Jiuzhang photonic quantum computing prototype, followed by the Zuchongzhi-2 processor in 2021. In 2023, their Jiuzhang-3 system demonstrated quantum supremacy with an astounding 10¹⁶ orders of magnitude better performance than classical supercomputers. With Zuchongzhi-3, the team has now set a new benchmark, surpassing Google's quantum performance by six orders of magnitude.

Zuchongzhi-3’s Quantum Edge

The Zuchongzhi-3 processor’s impressive features include 105 qubits, 182 couplers, and a coherence time of 72 microseconds—key for executing more complex operations. The system's single-qubit gate fidelity stands at an exceptional 99.90%, and the two-qubit gate fidelity reaches 99.62%. In a test, the machine completed an 83-qubit, 32-layer random circuit sampling task, showcasing its remarkable computational speed.

Advancing Quantum Research

With Zuchongzhi-3’s success, the research team is now shifting its focus to further advancements in quantum error correction, quantum entanglement, and quantum chemistry. They are working on a 2D grid qubit architecture to enhance qubit interconnectivity, and integrating surface codes for better quantum error correction. The team plans to extend these efforts, with hopes of advancing quantum integration on an even larger scale.

The breakthrough has garnered widespread global recognition, with journals praising it as a new benchmark in superconducting quantum computing. As one reviewer noted, “Zuchongzhi-3 shows state-of-the-art performance and is a significant upgrade from the previous 66-qubit device.”

The Future of Quantum Computing

This latest achievement paves the way for future innovations in quantum computing and promises to reshape industries from artificial intelligence to drug discovery. With Zuchongzhi-3, China has taken a monumental step forward in the quantum race, setting the stage for even more transformative breakthroughs in the years to come.