Chinese scientists create super stable building block for quantum computers - South China Morning Post

AdvertisementScienceChinaScienceChinese scientists create super stable building block for quantum computersPhysicist Pan Jianwei and team simulate exotic new state of matter that has ‘quantum armour’ against errors and noise3-MIN READ3-MIN2ListenMake SCMP preferred on GoogleAdvertisementFurther ReadingChina’s atomic quantum computer reports first sales with orders worth US$5.6 millionQuantum chip gives China’s AI data centres ‘1,000-fold’ speed boost: researchersAdvertisementAdvertisementDiscover MORE stories onScienceFOLLOWnow and stay updated withChinese firm claims it intercepted B-2 radio signal during US strike on IranAward-winning memory chip expert leaves US for job at Chinese semiconductor firmIran war shows US defence gaps; professor returns to China: 7 science highlightsAdvertisementrelated topicsScienceMainland China | Pan Jianwei | University of Science and Technology of ChinaAdvertisementNEWSLETTERWeekly, Saturday Dark MattersDeep insights from our editors into China's scientific, tech and military advancements. By submitting, you consent to receiving marketing emails from SCMP. If you don't want these, tick hereGET OUR NEWSLETTERBy registering, you agree to ourT&CandPrivacy PolicyBefore you go2 Conversationsscmp pollAdvertisementVictoria BelaPublished: 8:07pm, 28 Nov 2025Chinese physicist Pan Jianwei and his team have created a “quantum Lego block” that refuses to fall apart – even when shaken.Using a programmable quantum processor named Zuchongzhi 2, Pan’s team has simulated an exotic new state of matter where quantum effects are locked into the corners of a material, according to a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Science on Friday. These corner states are protected by the deep laws of topology – a kind of quantum armour against errors and noise.This achievement marks the first experimental realisation of what scientists call non-equilibrium higher-order topological phases. These offer a new way to store quantum information that does not easily break down, which has been a major challenge for quantum computers.Pan, a professor at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) was once called the “father of quantum” by the journal Nature. He is now taking one of the boldest steps yet in the tech race against the US towards building practical, fault-tolerant quantum computers.In the paper, Pan, along with other researchers from USTC and Shanxi University, showed a way to simulate and detect the strange and extremely complex matter states with super stable corners or hinges instead of surfaces or edges.This new kind of matter, which does not exist in nature, could allow for quantum computers to operate correctly even in the presence of errors or noise, which is a current limitation on machine complexity owing to the sensitivity of quantum bits – the fundamental units of quantum information, also known as qubits – to their environment.READ FULL ARTICLEAppThese computers will be able to handle large-scale calculations that could drive drug discovery, more advanced artificial intelligence and environmental simulations.“In this study, we implemented both equilibrium and non-equilibrium higher-order topological phases using a two-dimensional programmable superconducting quantum processor,” the team said in the paper.Topology is the mathematical study of the global properties – characteristics that apply to an entire object – of geometric spaces.Surfaces are considered topologically invariant – that is, they maintain the same topology – if they can be stretched, bent or compressed, but not torn apart, according to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.For example, a sphere can be stretched or moulded into a cube without tearing or gluing, but not into a doughnut shape. However, a doughnut can be formed into a coffee mug because they have the same topology, or the same number of holes – one in the middle of a doughnut, and one in the handle of a mug.The most common phases of matter are liquid, gas and solid. However, materials can also exhibit exotic quantum states, such as topological phases.These are of interest in condensed matter physics due to the potential for topological materials to usher in a new generation of electronics, superconductors and advanced quantum computers, according to the academy. 05:04China creates analogue AI chip said to be 1,000 times faster than Nvidia GPUChina creates analogue AI chip said to be 1,000 times faster than Nvidia GPUSince the discovery of topological phases in the 1980s, research has focused on equilibrium phases – ones that exist when a system has properties that are stable and unchanging over time, according to Micius Salon, a news platform hosted by USTC.But in recent years, the study of topological phases has also expanded to non-equilibrium systems, which are constantly evolving and can be driven by external forces such as electric fields and lasers.These new forms of order could open up new frontiers in fundamental research and have applications in developing more advanced quantum computing.Achieving higher-order topological phases – which can concentrate quantum effects on smaller regions of a material such as corners or hinges rather than just its edges – in non-equilibrium states has been challenging due to a lack of effective methods to test their properties, according to Micius Salon.Using part of the 66-qubit Zuchongzhi 2 model, Pan’s team was able to achieve the quantum simulation and detection of both equilibrium and non-equilibrium topological phases.Programmable quantum processors such as the Zuchongzhi 2 can be reconfigured to run different tasks, similar to a classical computer with a central processing unit.Compared with non-programmable quantum processors, they have greater versatility, which is essential for building a general-purpose quantum computer that can adapt to different problems.The team used quantum circuits on a six-by-six quantum bit array to program non-equilibrium higher-order topological phases and developed a method to detect these features by measuring its changing dynamics over time.“Our study also presents an intriguing possibility of leveraging presently accessible noisy intermediate-scale quantum processors to universally explore custom-built topological materials, both in the presence and absence of interactions and in and out of equilibrium,” the team wrote.AdvertisementVictoria BelaFOLLOWPrior to joining SCMP in 2023, Victoria received her Bachelor’s degrees in Environmental Health and Environmental Studies from the University of Rochester, where she also worked in a Biochemistry lab. She holds a Master's in Public Policy from Peking University. scmp pollAdvertisementBefore you go2 Conversationsrelated topicsScienceMainland China | Pan Jianwei | University of Science and Technology of ChinaDiscover MORE stories onScienceFOLLOWnow and stay updated withChinese firm claims it intercepted B-2 radio signal during US strike on IranAward-winning memory chip expert leaves US for job at Chinese semiconductor firmIran war shows US defence gaps; professor returns to China: 7 science highlightsAdvertisementAdvertisementSelect VoiceSelect Speed0.8x0.9x1.0x1.1x1.2x1.5x1.75x00:0000:001.