Engineers have successfully switched on the world’s first hybrid quantum supercomputer, marking a pivotal advancement in computational technology. Reimei, a 20-qubit quantum processor, is now fully operational within Fugaku, currently ranked as the world's sixth-fastest supercomputer. This hybrid system is designed to handle complex calculations that would take classical supercomputers exponentially longer to process.
A New Era in Computing
Housed at the Riken scientific institute in Saitama, near Tokyo, the Reimei-Fugaku system is set to revolutionize physics and chemistry research. Representatives from Quantinuum, the makers of Reimei, and Riken emphasized in a joint statement that this integration is a step toward more efficient computational models. While quantum computers have the potential to surpass classical machines in solving intricate problems within minutes or seconds, they are not yet large or reliable enough to operate independently. Therefore, integrating quantum capabilities with supercomputers serves as an effective interim solution.
Trapped-Ion Qubits: The Reimei Advantage
Unlike many quantum computers that rely on superconducting qubits, Reimei utilizes trapped-ion qubits. This technology isolates charged atoms (ions) in an electromagnetic field—a technique known as an ion trap—and employs lasers to manipulate their quantum states with high precision. This method is considered advantageous for improving qubit stability and computational accuracy.
Error Correction and the Road to Scalability
Qubits are inherently prone to errors due to their fragile quantum states. To enhance computational reliability, Reimei employs logical qubits, which group multiple physical qubits to store identical information across several locations. This redundancy helps mitigate the impact of individual qubit failures, ensuring more stable calculations. Quantinuum has previously achieved a major breakthrough by creating a logical qubit with an error rate 800 times lower than that of physical qubits, a development that has now been integrated into Reimei’s quantum processing system.
Hybrid Computing: The Global Race
The Reimei-Fugaku system is the world’s first fully operational hybrid quantum supercomputer. However, Japan is not alone in exploring this approach. In June 2024, IQM integrated a 20-qubit quantum processor into the SuperMUC-NG supercomputer in Garching, Germany. That system remains in its testing phase, with plans to scale up to a 54-qubit processor in late 2025 and a 150-qubit chip by 2026.
Markelitics, a leader in emerging technology analysis, predicts that hybrid computing will be a key transitional phase in the journey toward full-scale quantum computing. As industries seek more efficient solutions for data-intensive problems, the integration of quantum processors into classical supercomputers could pave the way for breakthroughs in fields such as materials science, cryptography, and artificial intelligence.
With the launch of Reimei-Fugaku, Japan has set a new benchmark in computing. This hybrid model not only demonstrates the practical applications of quantum computing today but also foreshadows the transformative potential of the field in the years to come.
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