Linköping University Researchers Enable Qubit Functionality in Perovskites
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Researchers at Linköping University in Sweden have, for the first time, successfully created a functioning qubit using perovskite materials, a development that could significantly lower the cost and complexity of building future quantum computers. Publishing their findings in Nature Communications (article number January 8, 2026), the team demonstrated that electron spin within perovskites can maintain quantum states despite expectations of rapid collapse due to strong atomic interactions. This achievement offers a potential alternative to current qubit technologies reliant on superconducting materials requiring temperatures thousandths of a degree above absolute zero; perovskite-based qubits can operate at comparatively higher temperatures, easing scalability challenges. “Our findings open up an entirely new research field,” says Yuttapoom Puttisong, associate professor at Linköping University, suggesting the possibility of a future where this technology is as commonplace as silicon. Sakarn Khamkaeo, a co-author of the published paper and doctoral student at Linköping University, adds that the researchers have also demonstrated the ability to translate signals from the qubit into optical signals, enabling quantum communication using light in perovskite-based materials.
Perovskite Materials Demonstrate Functional Quantum Bit Creation Published in Nature Communications on January 8, 2026, the findings suggest a pathway toward more affordable and scalable quantum computing technologies, potentially circumventing the extreme engineering demands of current leading approaches.
The team’s innovation centers on harnessing the spin of electrons within a perovskite crystal to represent quantum information. Spin qubits are typically fabricated using diamond, a process demanding precise structural alterations and significant energy input. Recognizing these limitations, the Linköping group pursued a novel strategy. The process involves mixing chemicals, heating the solution to 480 degrees Celsius, and allowing a perovskite crystal to form, exhibiting a rose-like shimmer when doped with chromium. This “cooking” method, as described by the researchers, offers several advantages: it is faster, cheaper, and allows for greater control over the qubit’s properties through careful manipulation of the chemical composition. “We can design the qubit’s properties through the chemistry of the solution,” Puttisong asserts. The theoretical challenge stemmed from the expectation that strong atomic interactions within perovskites would cause the qubit to collapse before a calculation could be completed, but the experiments proved these concerns unfounded. The ability to operate at temperatures higher than those required for superconducting qubits, which operate thousandths of a degree above absolute zero, also presents a significant advantage for scalability, reducing the complexity and cost of maintaining the necessary cryogenic environment. Beyond creating a functional qubit, the researchers have also demonstrated the ability to translate signals from the perovskite qubit into optical signals, enabling quantum communication using light in perovskite-based materials, potentially revolutionizing data transmission and security. “There is significant potential in the technology,” states Sakarn Khamkaeo, a co-author of the published paper and doctoral student at Linköping University. “It is possible to tailor the material chemically to achieve the properties we want. In the long term, I believe it could become a natural part of our society in the same way that silicon is today.” The team anticipates that this research will initiate an entirely new area of investigation.
Spin Qubits Created via Chromium-Doped Perovskite Crystals The search for stable and scalable qubit technologies remains a central challenge in the development of practical quantum computers, with current approaches facing limitations in cost, complexity, and operating conditions. Superconducting qubits, favored by industry leaders like IBM and Google, demand extremely low temperatures, thousandths of a degree above absolute zero, necessitating substantial energy and infrastructure. Spin qubits, an alternative leveraging the intrinsic angular momentum of electrons, typically rely on precisely engineered defects in materials like diamond, a process that is both energy-intensive and expensive. However, a team at Linköping University is challenging these established paradigms with an unexpected material: perovskites. Researchers have successfully demonstrated the creation of qubits based on the spin of electrons within perovskite crystals doped with chromium, a feat previously considered improbable by many in the field. Experiments have proven otherwise, opening up a potentially more accessible pathway to quantum computation.
The team’s approach involves a unique “cooking” method, where various chemicals are combined and heated to 480 degrees Celsius, resulting in a perovskite crystal visually similar to diamond. To create the qubits, chromium is added as an active substance, imparting a rose-like shimmer to the crystal and, more importantly, facilitating the creation of stable spin qubits. This method offers a considerable advantage over traditional diamond-based qubit fabrication. “The great advantage is that we can do this quickly, cheaply and, above all, in a controllable way.” Beyond ease of fabrication, the perovskite-based qubits exhibit promising operational characteristics. Unlike superconducting qubits, they can function at higher temperatures, reducing the demands on cooling systems and simplifying scalability. The researchers have also demonstrated that the signals from the qubit can be translated into optical signals, enabling quantum communication using light in perovskite-based materials. That is why we began exploring a new idea – to ‘cook up’ our qubits in the lab. Superposition & Challenges with Current Qubit Technologies Linköping University researchers are actively redefining the search for viable qubit materials, moving beyond traditional approaches to explore the potential of perovskites for quantum computing applications. While superconducting qubits currently dominate efforts at companies like IBM and Google, their reliance on temperatures thousandths of a degree above absolute zero presents a significant obstacle to scalability; achieving such extreme cooling demands substantial resources. This has prompted a re-evaluation of alternative qubit technologies, including those leveraging the spin of electrons within solid-state materials, a field where the Linköping group’s work is gaining attention. According to the team, “few within the field believed it would be possible” to create stable qubits from perovskites, given the theoretical expectation of disruptive atomic interactions. The core principle underpinning quantum computation is superposition, the ability of a qubit to represent multiple states simultaneously, unlike the binary one or zero of classical computing. This allows quantum computers to explore a vastly larger computational space, potentially solving problems intractable for even the most powerful supercomputers. However, maintaining superposition is extraordinarily difficult; environmental noise and interactions can cause qubits to “collapse” into a definite state, destroying the quantum information. Current spin qubits often rely on carefully engineered defects in materials like diamond, created by replacing carbon atoms with nitrogen. This process, while effective, is “highly energy-intensive, expensive and technically demanding,” prompting the Linköping team to investigate a fundamentally different fabrication method. Instead of precise structural alterations, the researchers are employing a “cooking” method, a chemical process involving the mixing and heating of precursor materials to 480 degrees Celsius. This results in the formation of perovskite crystals, exhibiting a visual resemblance to diamond, but created through a far simpler and more controllable process. Sakarn Khamkaeo holds a perovskite crystal, and to create the qubits, an active substance, in this case chromium, is added, giving the crystal a rose-like shimmer.
The team has demonstrated the ability to translate qubit signals into optical signals, enabling quantum communication using light in perovskite-based materials. The research, funded by several Swedish organizations including the Swedish Research Council, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, the Swedish Energy Agency and through the Swedish Government’s Strategic Research Area in Advanced Functional Materials (AFM) at Linköping University, represents a promising new direction in the quest for scalable and accessible quantum computing. There is significant potential in the technology. It is possible to tailor the material chemically to achieve the properties we want. In the long term, I believe it could become a natural part of our society in the same way that silicon is today. Sakarn Khamkaeo, doctoral student at Linköping University Perovskite Qubits Enable Potential for Optical Communication The pursuit of stable and scalable qubits has taken an unexpected turn, with researchers at Linköping University demonstrating the viability of perovskite materials for quantum computing. This development offers a potential pathway toward more affordable and accessible quantum technology, addressing key limitations of current qubit fabrication methods. The Linköping team’s work suggests a fundamentally different approach, leveraging the unique properties of perovskites to create functional qubits. According to the researchers, the initial expectation within the field was that perovskites would be unsuitable for this purpose. However, experiments proved otherwise, revealing a surprising level of stability and control. This method offers distinct advantages over traditional qubit manufacturing. This level of control allows for tailored qubit characteristics, potentially optimizing performance for specific computational tasks. This crucial step unlocks the potential for quantum communication using light in perovskite-based materials, paving the way for secure and efficient data transmission. The great advantage is that we can do this quickly, cheaply and, above all, in a controllable way. We can design the qubit’s properties through the chemistry of the solution. Source: https://liu.se/en/news-item/kvantbitar-skapas-med-ovantade-material Tags: