Quantum Motion, an UK-based startup, has announced a quantum computing breakthrough, demonstrating that a stable qubit can be created on a standard silicon chip.
The startup, which has a team of 20 people at the moment, raised £8m Series A funding last year led by Dutch VC INKEF Capital, with Octopus Ventures coming in as a new investor, and existing funders IP Group, Oxford Sciences Innovation, and Parkwalk Advisors taking part.
By cooling the chip down to a temperature just above absolute zero (−273°C), and by using tiny transistors, the Quantum Motion team were able to isolate a single electron and measure its quantum state for an astounding nine seconds.
Intel, which is testing a similar silicon-based approach in collaboration with Delft-based startup QuTech, talks about times of 1 second. (Sifted)
The discovery has been published in journal PRX Quantum.
