Topological Quantum Computing: Microsoft Majorana Qubits & Error Protection
Topological quantum computing news: Microsoft Azure Quantum, Majorana fermions, topological qubits. Intrinsic error protection research.
Topological quantum computing represents the most ambitious approach to fault-tolerant quantum computation, encoding information in global topological properties of quantum systems rather than individual particles. This intrinsic error protection theoretically enables quantum computing with hardware error rates orders of magnitude higher than conventional qubits require.
Microsoft Azure Quantum leads development through its Station Q research division, pursuing topological qubits based on Majorana zero modes—quasiparticles that are their own antiparticles and exist at the boundaries of topological superconductors. When braided, Majorana modes perform quantum gates that depend only on the braiding topology, not local perturbations.
India's Topological Quantum Research
India's theoretical physics community contributes to topological quantum computing research through institutions including the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) Mumbai, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru, and the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS) Bengaluru. Research focuses on topological phases of matter, anyonic statistics, and quantum information theory foundations. The National Quantum Mission does not currently prioritize topological qubit hardware development, focusing instead on superconducting, photonic, and neutral atom platforms with nearer-term viability.
Key Advantages
Key advantages include intrinsic topological protection eliminating need for active quantum error correction overhead, hardware error tolerance potentially 1,000x higher than other qubit types, and stable quantum information storage. Current challenges include experimental verification of Majorana modes remaining contentious, requirements for exotic materials at millikelvin temperatures, and no confirmed demonstration of topological qubit operation.
Recent Progress
Recent progress includes new generation experiments using improved hybrid semiconductor-superconductor devices (InAs/Al, InSb/Al heterostructures) reporting more robust Majorana signatures. Microsoft continues significant investment despite delays.
quantum-computingSimulating Heat with Quantum Particles Unlocks New Materials Science Possibilities
Scientists are developing new methods to simulate the behaviour of thermal states, crucial for understanding complex quantum systems. Manuel S. Rudolph, Armando Angrisani, and Andrew Wright, alongside Iwo Sanderski, Ricard Puig, Zoë Holmes et al. from the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne and Algorithmiq Ltd, present a propagation-based approach utilising Pauli and Majorana operators to model imaginary-time evolution. This research is significant because it efficiently represents high-temperature states, which are often sparse and difficult to simulate with conventional techniques, offering analytic guarantees for error control and demonstrating effectiveness through large-scale numerical simulations on established models. Simulating Finite Temperature Quantum Systems via Pauli and Majorana Operator Propagation offers a promising avenue for exploring complex quantum phenomena Scientists have developed a novel approach to simulating thermal states using Pauli and Majorana propagation techniques adapted for imaginary-time evolution. This work addresses a critical challenge in material science, condensed matter physics, and quantum chemistry: accurately modelling quantum systems at finite temperatures. The research centres on the observation that high-temperature states exhibit sparsity in Pauli or Majorana bases, simplifying their representation and enabling efficient computation. By formulating imaginary-time evolution directly within these operator bases and initiating the process from a maximally mixed state, researchers have unlocked access to a range of temperatures where the quantum state remains efficiently manageable in terms of computational resources. The study introduces a propagation-based method that begins with the maximally mixed state, represented by the identity operator, and evolves it using a sequence of imaginary-time gates. This allows for the efficient storage and manipulation of high-temperature states, as the complexity increases with de
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New Material Hosts ‘Majorana’ Particles for Robust Quantum Computing Networks
Researchers are actively pursuing higher-order topological superconductivity as a pathway to creating stable and manipulable Majorana networks, circumventing the limitations of vortex-based approaches. Yongting Shi from the Institute of Applied Physics and Computational Mathematics, Qing Wang from the Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Low-Energy Quantum Materials and Devices, and Zhen-Guo Fu et al. demonstrate a symmetry-protected realisation of this phenomenon within a MnXPb (X=Se, Te)-Pb heterostructure. Their work reveals that the unique boundary properties of antiferromagnetic topological insulators naturally give rise to Majorana corner modes at the interfaces between superconducting and magnetic regions. Combining first-principles calculations with theoretical modelling, the team show robust corner localisation and, crucially, the potential for purely electrical control over Majorana fusion and braiding in a two-dimensional triangular geometry, establishing MnXPb as a promising platform for future quantum computation. This breakthrough centers on manipulating Majorana zero modes, exotic quasiparticles considered prime candidates for building stable and scalable quantum bits. Unlike existing approaches that often rely on complex structures involving vortices or magnetic fields, this work demonstrates a route to engineer Majorana modes localized at the corners of two-dimensional materials, offering a simpler and more controllable architecture. Researchers propose utilizing heterostructures composed of antiferromagnetic topological insulators, specifically, monolayer MnXPb2 (where X represents selenium or tellurium) combined with lead, to achieve this unique state. The core of this discovery lies in the intrinsic boundary properties of these antiferromagnetic topological insulators. These materials exhibit a dichotomy at their edges, possessing gapless Dirac states protected by time-reversal symmetry on antiferromagnetic boundaries and magnetic gaps on ferromagn
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quantum-computingSolar Flares Reveal Neutrino Secrets, Potentially Distinguishing Matter from Antimatter
Scientists are increasingly utilising astrophysical phenomena to probe fundamental neutrino properties. Delepine and Yebra, from independent research, investigate resonant spin-flavor precession (RSFP) as a means of distinguishing between Dirac and Majorana neutrinos. Their work, employing the quantum density matrix formalism and considering realistic solar conditions, demonstrates that ultra-high-energy neutrinos produced during solar flares are particularly sensitive to magnetic fields in the solar outer layers. This sensitivity arises because the resonance for these higher-energy neutrinos occurs in regions inaccessible to standard solar neutrinos, potentially creating measurable asymmetries in electron-neutrino scattering and coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering. Consequently, detection of such asymmetries could definitively reveal the nature of neutrinos, while even a null result promises to significantly refine current limits on the neutrino magnetic moment. This work focuses on high-energy neutrinos produced during solar flares, offering a new avenue for probing neutrino nature beyond traditional studies of standard solar neutrinos. Researchers demonstrate that while standard 8B solar neutrinos at 10 MeV are largely unaffected by magnetic fields outside the deep solar core, ultra-high-energy flare neutrinos exceeding 1 GeV experience a resonance shift towards the tachocline and convective zones. The study employs the quantum density matrix formalism to model neutrino propagation, explicitly accounting for collisional decoherence and turbulent magnetic fields within the solar plasma. This approach allows for a detailed analysis of the transition probabilities for both standard and flare neutrinos under three distinct magnetic field hypotheses: a core-concentrated Wood-Saxon profile, a tachocline-confined Gaussian profile, and a turbulent convective Power Law profile. Crucially, the research reveals that strong magnetic fields, reaching approximately 50
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quantum-computingQuantum Computing’s Dual Approach Boosts Stability for Complex Calculations
Scientists are developing novel architectures to simulate complex mathematical structures relevant to quantum computation and theoretical physics. Vaidik A Sharma and Sainath Bitragunta, both from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, alongside Sharma et al., present a dual-architecture simulation framework modelling morphisms and stability conditions within derived categories. Their research constructs physically executable realisations using both parameterized quantum circuits (PQCs) and topological quantum computation (TQC) based on Fibonacci anyons. This work is significant because it bridges the gap between abstract derived category theory and practical, fault-tolerant quantum hardware, offering a robust pipeline for simulating categorical stability and homological algebra. This work introduces a method for simulating morphisms and stability conditions within the bounded derived category, a concept central to D-brane physics on both Kähler and non-Kähler manifolds. Researchers constructed two physically distinct quantum realisations: Parameterised Quantum Circuits (PQCs) utilising conventional qubit platforms, and a Topological Quantum Computing (TQC) approach leveraging the braiding and fusion of Fibonacci anyons modelled via SU(2)3 tensor categories. In the PQC model, slope functionals and stability constraints are encoded as variational observables, effectively translating derived morphisms into unitaries evolving with parameterised angles. The resulting expectation values simulate quantum-corrected Chern class inequalities, incorporating deformation terms that account for deviations from classical geometric stability. This allows for the modelling of subtle quantum effects influencing the stability of D-branes. Simultaneously, the TQC model employs braid group representations to implement functorial transformations, such as spherical twists and autoequivalences, as sequences of fault-tolerant braid operations. This bifurcated approach establ
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quantum-computingNew Quantum Material Unlocks Exotic Metallic States in Three Dimensions
Researchers have uncovered a pathway to creating three-dimensional quantum spin liquids, materials exhibiting exotic properties with potential applications in quantum computing. Anna Sandberg from Stockholm University, Lukas Rødland from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, and Maria Hermanns from Stockholm University, alongside their colleagues, detail how spin-orbital liquids offer an exactly solvable route to these complex states of matter. Their work demonstrates that these models host a rich variety of metallic phases, including topological Fermi surfaces and Weyl semimetals, and establishes a unified framework for understanding metals within fractionalized spin liquids, representing a significant advance in the field of condensed matter physics. This work details exactly solvable models built upon spin-orbital liquids, extending beyond the well-known Kitaev model and opening pathways to novel phases of matter. Researchers demonstrate that these models, realizable on both three- and four-coordinated lattices, host a diverse range of gapless Majorana metals characterized by topological Fermi surfaces, nodal lines, and Weyl semimetal phases. The study establishes a framework for understanding three-dimensional Majorana metals within fractionalized spin liquids, revealing how these materials can support multiple itinerant Majorana flavors, up to three, depending on the lattice structure. These Majorana fermions, quasiparticles that are their own antiparticles, exhibit unique behavior and contribute to the topological properties of the materials. Analysis of model stability under realistic perturbations reveals predictable splitting patterns and topological transitions driven by symmetry breaking and flavor mixing, providing a unified organizing principle for these complex systems. Specifically, the research focuses on constructing spin-orbital Hamiltonians using higher-dimensional Clifford-algebra representations. These representations allow for the
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quantum-computingTrotter error and gate complexity of the SYK and sparse SYK models
AbstractThe Sachdev–Ye–Kitaev (SYK) model is a prominent model of strongly interacting fermions that serves as a toy model of quantum gravity and black hole physics. In this work, we study the Trotter error and gate complexity of the quantum simulation of the SYK model using Lie–Trotter–Suzuki formulas. Building on recent results by Chen and Brandão [6] — in particular their uniform smoothing technique for random matrix polynomials — we derive bounds on the first- and higher-order Trotter error of the SYK model, and subsequently find near-optimal gate complexities for simulating these models using Lie–Trotter–Suzuki formulas. For the $k$-local SYK model on $n$ Majorana fermions, at time $t$, our gate complexity estimates for the first-order Lie–Trotter–Suzuki formula scales with $\tilde{\mathcal{O}}(n^{k+\frac{5}{2}}t^2)$ for even $k$ and $\tilde{\mathcal{O}}(n^{k+3}t^2)$ for odd $k$, and the gate complexity of simulations using higher-order formulas scales with $\tilde{\mathcal{O}}(n^{k+\frac{1}{2}}t)$ for even $k$ and $\tilde{\mathcal{O}}(n^{k+1}t)$ for odd $k$. Given that the SYK model has $\Theta(n^k)$ terms, these estimates are close to optimal. These gate complexities can be further improved upon in the context of simulating the time evolution of an arbitrary fixed input state $|\psi\rangle$, leading to a $\mathcal{O}(n^2)$-reduction in gate complexity for first-order formulas and $\mathcal{O}(\sqrt{n})$-reduction for higher-order formulas. We also apply our techniques to the sparse SYK model, which is a simplified variant of the SYK model obtained by deleting all but a $\Theta(n)$ fraction of the terms in a uniformly i.i.d. manner. We find the average (over the random term removal) gate complexity for simulating this model using higher-order formulas scales with $\tilde{\mathcal{O}}(n^{1+\frac{1}{2}} t)$ for even $k$ and $\tilde{\mathcal{O}}(n^{2} t)$ for odd $k$. Similar to the full SYK model, we obtain a $\mathcal{O}(\sqrt{n})$-reduction simulating the time
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quantum-computingExotic Superconductivity Unlocked by Manipulating Atomic Imbalance Within Materials
Researchers have demonstrated a pathway towards enhancing topological superconductivity within a non-Hermitian Kitaev chain exhibiting staggered pairing imbalance. Xiao-Jue Zhang, Rong Lü, and Qi-Bo Zeng from the Department of Physics, Capital Normal University, et al. detail how manipulating chemical potential and pairing imbalance induces transitions in the eigenenergy spectrum, potentially shifting from real to complex gaps. This work is significant because it reveals that a topologically nontrivial phase, capable of hosting zero modes, can emerge even with strong chemical potential through careful control of pairing imbalance, effectively broadening the scope for realising topological superconductivity in non-Hermitian systems and offering a novel platform for exploration. Pairing imbalance expands topological superconductivity in a non-Hermitian Kitaev chain by promoting Andreev bound state localization Researchers have unveiled a novel topological superconducting phase within a one-dimensional non-Hermitian Kitaev chain exhibiting staggered imbalance in its superconducting pairing. This work demonstrates how manipulating the chemical potential and pairing imbalance induces transitions in the system’s eigenenergy spectrum, shifting the spectral gap from a real to an imaginary configuration. Crucially, the introduction of pairing imbalance significantly expands the range of parameters supporting a topological superconducting phase, offering enhanced control over this quantum state of matter. The study reveals that a topologically nontrivial phase, capable of hosting Majorana zero modes, can be induced solely by adjusting the pairing imbalance, even when a strong chemical potential is present. Analytical determination of gap-closing points and phase boundaries allows for precise characterization of the resulting phase diagrams through a nonzero topological invariant. These calculations confirm the existence of both zero modes and finite-energy edge modes within t
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quantum-computingQuantum ‘stars’ Reveal Hidden Structure Within Complex Quantum States
Scientists have long sought intuitive ways to visualise the complex world of quantum mechanics, and a new study proposes utilising ‘Majorana stars’ as a geometrical representation of quantum states. Led by L. L. Sanchez-Soto, A. B. Klimov, and A. Z. Goldberg, with contributions from G. Leuchs, this research demonstrates how these spin coherent states, orthogonal to a single spin state, provide a powerful and elegant method for understanding quantum structure and symmetries. The work surveys the development and applications of this ‘constellation’ approach, offering a bridge between abstract mathematical formulations and accessible geometrical intuition, and potentially advancing fields within quantum information science. Majorana constellations and a geometrical interpretation of quantum states offer a novel perspective on particle physics Researchers have unveiled a geometrical representation of quantum states rooted in the work of Ettore Majorana dating back to 1932. This innovative approach, utilising what are termed ‘Majorana constellations’, provides a novel method for visualising quantum states and gaining deeper insights into their underlying structure, symmetries, and entanglement properties. The work establishes a direct correspondence between abstract algebraic formulations of quantum mechanics and intuitive geometrical interpretations, offering a powerful new tool for quantum information science. By representing spin-S states as configurations of 2S points on the unit sphere, this research bridges theoretical concepts with a readily visualisable framework. Originally proposed as a means to generalise the Stern, Gerlach experiment, Majorana’s initial concept remained largely unnoticed until recognised by Julian Schwinger in 1935. The current study surveys the development and applications of these Majorana constellations, demonstrating their relevance to modern quantum information theory. Researchers have confirmed the validity of Majorana’s original propos
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quantum-computingMoire Heterostructures Reveal Two-Fold Reduction in Spectral Periodicity Via Spin Interaction
Researchers are increasingly exploring how to engineer novel quantum states of matter within layered heterostructures. Paula Mellado from Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, alongside co-authors, investigate the emergence of unique helical states arising from the interplay between moiré superlattices and spin interactions in graphene-based heterostructures. Their work demonstrates that these moiré patterns can dramatically reshape electronic band structures, inducing helicity fragmentation and creating an extended network of spin-carrying states. This is significant because it reveals a pathway to amplify proximity-induced spin coupling and potentially realise relativistic quasiparticles through careful materials design, offering new avenues for spintronic devices and topological quantum computing. Moiré superlattices enhance spin-orbit coupling in graphene heterostructures, leading to novel quantum phenomena Scientists have demonstrated a novel mechanism for amplifying spin-orbit coupling in graphene-based heterostructures through moiré engineering. The research, published on February 2, 2026, details a minimal model of a graphene, topological insulator heterostructure where a moiré superlattice modulates the Rashba spin, orbit interaction. This approach leverages the interplay between proximity-induced spin coupling and structural modulations to achieve enhanced helical states at the interface. Researchers employed a tight-binding model, inspired by recent work on moiré ladders and incommensurate heterostructures, to isolate the combined effects of these phenomena. The study reveals that in the spin-degenerate, spin-orbit-free limit, the reduced Brillouin zone exhibits flat, spin-degenerate moiré minibands, with periodicity dictated by superlattice folding. Introducing spin-orbit coupling lifts this spin degeneracy and effectively halves the spectral periodicity. Crucially, the moiré potential entangles spin, sublattice, and leg degrees of freedom, reshaping the miniband s
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quantum-computingHaiqu Hires Dr. Antonio Mei as Lead Product Manager
Insider Brief Haiqu has appointed former Microsoft Quantum Principal Technical Program Manager Dr. Antonio Mei as Lead Product Manager to guide its quantum software platform. Mei brings experience from Microsoft Quantum, Intel, HRL Laboratories, and academic research spanning quantum hardware, systems, and software. The hire follows Haiqu’s $11 million seed round and supports the company’s focus on software that enables practical quantum applications on near-term hardware. PRESS RELEASE — Haiqu, an emerging quantum software company, today announced that Dr. Antonio Mei, former Principal Technical Program Manager of Microsoft Quantum, has joined the company as Lead Product Manager. Mei’s experience spans both hardware and software development and deployment, from materials and device engineering to systems and applications. At Microsoft Quantum, Mei helped shape the tech giant’s overall quantum roadmap with executives and partners. Mei also worked for Intel, where he guided hardware development across components research and technology advancement. At HRL Laboratories, he oversaw end-to-end manufacturing of quantum-dot spin qubit foundry chips from design to delivery. Haiqu develops software that overcomes the limitations of today’s quantum hardware to execute practical applications at 100x less computational cost than existing solutions. This is made possible by holistically combining advanced technologies such as circuit optimization, enhanced data-loading capabilities and software orchestration. “I’m joining Haiqu at a critical time in quantum computing. Qubits today are roughly 1000× slower and 1000× larger than transistors, creating a million-fold gap that must be overcome before real quantum advantage emerges,” said Mei. “Closing this gap requires the kind of software Haiqu is building. I look forward to leading the development of Haiqu’s quantum operating system at a time when the industry needs it most.” Haiqu has already demonstrated its sof
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quantum-computingHaiqu Lands Microsoft Veteran Antonio Mei to Drive Quantum OS Development”
Haiqu, a quantum software company, announced today that Dr. Antonio Mei, formerly of Microsoft Quantum, has joined as Lead Product Manager to spearhead the development of its quantum operating system. Mei brings over a decade of experience in high-performance computing, AI, and quantum technologies, having previously shaped Microsoft’s quantum roadmap. This move signals a significant push to overcome current limitations in quantum computing, where “Qubits today are roughly 1000× slower and 1000× larger than transistors,” according to Mei. Haiqu’s software aims to deliver practical applications at 100x less computational cost, and Mei states, “I look forward to leading the development of Haiqu’s quantum operating system at a time when the industry needs it most.” Dr. Antonio Mei: From Microsoft Quantum to Haiqu Lead The competitive landscape of quantum software is shifting with the arrival of Dr. Antonio Mei at Haiqu, an emerging company focused on practical quantum applications. Formerly a Principal Technical Program Manager at Microsoft Quantum, Mei now leads product development, bringing over a decade of experience encompassing high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, and the intricacies of quantum systems themselves. His background extends beyond software; Mei previously guided hardware development at Intel and oversaw the complete manufacturing process of quantum-dot spin qubit foundry chips at HRL Laboratories, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the entire quantum stack. Haiqu is positioning itself to tackle a fundamental challenge in the field: the vast performance disparity between qubits and conventional transistors. He believes Haiqu’s approach—holistically combining circuit optimization, enhanced data-loading, and software orchestration—is key to bridging this gap, aiming to execute applications with 100x less computational cost. The company has already demonstrated success in anomaly detection and is now targeting computationally i
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quantum-computingStripe Antiferromagnetism and Chiral Superconductivity Achieved in tWSe at -Point Van Hove Singularity
Researchers are increasingly focused on understanding correlated electronic states in twisted bilayer materials, and a new study published in Nature Physics details the surprising link between antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in twisted tungsten diselenide (tWSe). Erekle Jmukhadze and Sam Olin, both from Binghamton University, alongside Allan H MacDonald from the University of Texas at Austin, and Wei-Cheng Lee from Binghamton University et al, demonstrate how competing charge and spin orders within this moiré material can give rise to a chiral superconducting state. This finding is significant because it suggests a novel pathway to engineer unconventional superconductivity through the manipulation of magnetic order, potentially paving the way for future topological quantum technologies? Their work combines density functional theory with path-integral calculations to reveal that antiferromagnetic interactions can break time-reversal symmetry, ultimately inducing this unusual superconducting behaviour in tWSe. The investigation focused on understanding the interplay between antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in tWSe2 when the Fermi level is near the M-point van Hove singularity and the applied displacement field is minimal. Researchers constructed a moiré model directly from DFT calculations, avoiding reliance on fitting procedures that assume smooth spatial variations, and applied this model to explore the phase diagram of tWSe2. Hartree-Fock calculations, utilising gate-screened Coulomb potentials, were performed to identify competing spin and charge orders within the moiré structure. The team constructed a t, J, U model, based on the observed antiferromagnetic ordering patterns and strong onsite Hubbard repulsion in the narrow moiré bands, to explain the origin of superconductivity in tWSe2. This model proposes a two-band framework and suggests that the second-neighbor superexchange interaction, J2, facilitates the formation of intra-layer Cooper pai
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quantum-computingSpin-Qubit Relaxometry Detects Half-Vortex Magnetic Fluxes of ½ in Superconductors
Researchers are now closer to realising topological quantum computation thanks to a new method for detecting half-quantum vortices in unconventional superconductors. Gábor B Halász, Nirjhar Sarkar, and Yueh-Chun Wu, from the Materials Science and Technology Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, alongside Joshua T Damron, Chengyun Hua, Benjamin Lawrie et al, have demonstrated a technique using spin-qubit relaxometry to directly measure the elusive half-integer magnetic flux carried by these vortices. This is significant because half-vortices are theorised to host Majorana zero modes, potentially offering a robust platform for building quantum bits less susceptible to environmental noise. By correlating spin-qubit relaxation rates with vortex crossing frequencies, the team provides a pathway to characterise these fundamental objects and advance the search for practical topological quantum materials like UTe₂, UPt₃, and URhGe. This is significant because half-vortices are theorised to host Majorana zero modes, potentially offering a robust platform for building quantum bits less susceptible to environmental noise. This innovative approach allows for the direct quantification of magnetic flux, distinguishing between conventional vortices carrying flux quantum Φ0 = h/(2e) and the half-quantum vortices predicted to exist in spin-triplet superconductors, which carry Φ0/2. The research establishes a clear experimental signature for identifying these elusive half-quantum vortices, potentially confirming the spin-triplet nature of the superconducting state. This is particularly relevant for candidate materials such as UTe2, UPt3, and URhGe, where definitive proof of spin-triplet pairing has remained challenging. Experiments show that the setup utilizes a thin-film type-II superconducting strip with constrictions designed to guide vortex movement. The work opens possibilities for utilizing quantum sensing with spin qubits to probe the fundamental properties of exotic supe
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quantum-computingQuantum Capacitance Advances Kitaev Chain Identification with Minimal 1-Dot Coupling
Researchers are increasingly exploring quantum-dot systems as viable platforms for realising topological quantum computation, and a new study delves into the crucial characteristics of these devices. Chun-Xiao Liu from Tsung-Dao Lee Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, alongside colleagues, investigates the quantum capacitance and parity switching within a specifically designed Kitaev chain. Their theoretical work reveals how capacitance measurements can pinpoint optimal conditions for Kitaev chain operation, aligning with experimental tunnel spectroscopy results. Furthermore, the team demonstrates the interplay of external and internal mechanisms governing parity switching , a critical process for quantum information protection , offering valuable insights for advancing this promising avenue of quantum technology. Their theoretical work reveals how capacitance measurements can pinpoint optimal conditions for Kitaev chain operation, aligning with experimental tunnel spectroscopy results. Furthermore, the team demonstrates the interplay of external and internal mechanisms governing parity switching, a critical process for quantum information protection, offering valuable insights for advancing this promising avenue of quantum technology. Quantum capacitance identifies Kitaev chain sweet This detailed analysis moves beyond simple observation, offering a deeper understanding of the underlying physics governing these nanoscale devices. The team’s model incorporates a normal-metal lead weakly coupled to the chain, allowing them to investigate the effects of varying the lead’s chemical potential and tunneling strength. This detailed modelling, utilising semiclassical rate equations to account for non-equilibrium conditions, provides a comprehensive picture of the system’s behaviour and its potential for manipulation. This breakthrough reveals that quantum capacitance is not merely a probe of nanoscale devices but a powerful tool for reading out joint fermion parity a
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quantum-computingThe quantum sky of Majorana stars
--> Quantum Physics arXiv:2601.20922 (quant-ph) [Submitted on 28 Jan 2026] Title:The quantum sky of Majorana stars Authors:L. L. Sanchez-Soto, A. B. Klimov, A. Z. Goldberg, G. Leuchs View a PDF of the paper titled The quantum sky of Majorana stars, by L. L. Sanchez-Soto and 3 other authors View PDF HTML (experimental) Abstract:Majorana stars, the $2S$ spin coherent states that are orthogonal to a spin-$S$ state, offer an elegant method to visualize quantum states. This representation offers deep insights into the structure, symmetries, and entanglement properties of quantum states, bridging abstract algebraic formulations with intuitive geometrical intuition. In this paper, we briefly survey the development and applications of the Majorana constellation, exploring its relevance in modern areas of quantum information. Comments: Subjects: Quantum Physics (quant-ph) Cite as: arXiv:2601.20922 [quant-ph] (or arXiv:2601.20922v1 [quant-ph] for this version) https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2601.20922 Focus to learn more arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite Submission history From: Luis L. Sanchez. Soto [view email] [v1] Wed, 28 Jan 2026 19:00:00 UTC (5,206 KB) Full-text links: Access Paper: View a PDF of the paper titled The quantum sky of Majorana stars, by L. L. Sanchez-Soto and 3 other authorsView PDFHTML (experimental)TeX Source view license Current browse context: quant-ph < prev | next > new | recent | 2026-01 References & Citations INSPIRE HEP NASA ADSGoogle Scholar Semantic Scholar export BibTeX citation Loading... BibTeX formatted citation × loading... Data provided by: Bookmark Bibliographic Tools Bibliographic and Citation Tools Bibliographic Explorer Toggle Bibliographic Explorer (What is the Explorer?) Connected Papers Toggle Connected Papers (What is Connected Papers?) Litmaps Toggle Litmaps (What is Litmaps?) scite.ai Toggle scite Smart Citations (What are Smart Citations?) Code, Data, Media Code, Data and Media Associa
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quantum-computingUniversal Topological Gates from Braiding and Fusing Anyons on Quantum Hardware
--> Quantum Physics arXiv:2601.20956 (quant-ph) [Submitted on 28 Jan 2026] Title:Universal Topological Gates from Braiding and Fusing Anyons on Quantum Hardware Authors:Chiu Fan Bowen Lo, Anasuya Lyons, Dan Gresh, Michael Mills, Peter E. Siegfried, Maxwell D. Urmey, Nathanan Tantivasadakarn, Henrik Dreyer, Ashvin Vishwanath, Ruben Verresen, Mohsin Iqbal View a PDF of the paper titled Universal Topological Gates from Braiding and Fusing Anyons on Quantum Hardware, by Chiu Fan Bowen Lo and 10 other authors View PDF Abstract:Topological quantum computation encodes quantum information in the internal fusion space of non-Abelian anyonic quasiparticles, whose braiding implements logical gates. This goes beyond Abelian topological order (TO) such as the toric code, as its anyons lack internal structure. However, the simplest non-Abelian generalizations of the toric code do not support universality via braiding alone. Here we demonstrate that such minimally non-Abelian TOs can be made universal by treating anyon fusion as a computational primitive. We prepare a 54-qubit TO wavefunction associated with the smallest non-Abelian group, $S_3$, on Quantinuum's H2 quantum processor. This phase of matter exhibits cyclic anyon fusion rules, known to underpin universality, which we evidence by trapping a single non-Abelian anyon on the torus. We encode logical qutrits in the nonlocal fusion space of non-Abelian fluxes and, by combining an entangling braiding operation with anyon charge measurements, realize a universal topological gate set and read-out, which we further demonstrate by topologically preparing a magic state. This work establishes $S_3$ TO as simple enough to be prepared efficiently, yet rich enough to enable universal topological quantum computation. Comments: Subjects: Quantum Physics (quant-ph); Strongly Correlated Electrons (cond-mat.str-el) Cite as: arXiv:2601.20956 [quant-ph] (or arXiv:2601.20956v1 [quant-ph] for this version) https://doi.org/10.485
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quantum-computingInside Pasqal’s 2026 Vision on Quantum for Industry and Research
Home – Corporate – Inside Pasqal’s 2026 Vision on Quantum for Industry and Research Inside Pasqal’s 2026 Vision on Quantum for Industry and Research Corporate +Quantum Enablement at Scale+Quantum Advantage by mid-2026+Next-Gen of Pasqal’s Quantum Computers+Logical Qubits Advance to Real-World Impact+The Year Ahead—Join Us Jan 29, 2026 +Quantum Enablement at Scale+Quantum Advantage by mid-2026+Next-Gen of Pasqal’s Quantum Computers+Logical Qubits Advance to Real-World Impact+The Year Ahead—Join Us 2025 marked Pasqal’s shift from quantum research to industrial delivery, with reliable neutral atom quantum computers running enterprise and research workloads worldwide. Pasqal’s vision for 2026 centers on accelerating scientific and industrial innovation by making quantum computing accessible at scale via cloud access, and HPC deployments. We will also demonstrate quantum advantage and launch our next-generation products. Quantum Enablement at Scale This transformation begins with broader and more reliable access. Last year, two Pasqal QPUs were already inaugurated and are now up and running at the Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC) in Germany and the Très Grand Centre de Calcul (TGCC) CEA in France. Multiple QPUs are already live on Pasqal Cloud and on major hyperscalers such as Azure Quantum, Google Marketplace, OVHcloud and Scaleway, making our neutral-atom processors available to users where they work today. At the same time, installations at Aramco in Saudi Arabia, CINECA in Italy and DistriQ in Canada bring cryogenics-free systems into enterprises and national supercomputing centers, serving academic teams advancing fundamental science as well as industrial innovation. This combination of cloud and on-premise deployments both widens access and demonstrates the reproducibility and reliability of our technology: the direct outcome of our industrialization strategy over the past years. Quantum Advantage by mid-2026 Our objective for the coming months, before
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quantum-computingResearchers Achieve Fractional Hall State Braiding with Fusion-Space Dimensionality
Scientists are increasingly focused on understanding exotic states of matter that could revolutionise quantum computing, and fractional quantum Hall (FQH) states offer a promising avenue. Koyena Bose from the Institute of Mathematical Sciences, CIT Campus, Chennai, alongside collaborators, have delved into the complex world of non-Abelian anyons , quasiparticles exhibiting unusual exchange statistics and capable of encoding topologically protected information. Their research constructs robust quasihole bases for a wide range of non-Abelian FQH states using parton wave functions, successfully matching predicted fusion properties and confirming level-rank duality. By numerically simulating braiding matrices for these states in larger systems, the team provides a crucial framework for identifying and characterising genuine non-Abelian behaviour in potential FQH materials, potentially paving the way for fault-tolerant quantum technologies. By numerically simulating braiding matrices for these states in larger systems, the team provides a crucial framework for identifying and characterising genuine non-Abelian behaviour in potential FQH materials, potentially paving the way for fault-tolerant quantum technologies. Parton Wave Functions Define Quasihole Bases for strongly This consistency with level-rank duality, a key concept in the study of these states, across the entire parton family represents a substantial theoretical validation. This computational approach allows for detailed analysis of complex quantum phenomena previously inaccessible to direct observation. Experiments show that the study’s framework enables the first many-body wave function-based demonstration of Chern-Simons level-rank duality, confirming that Φm n and Φn m share identical anyonic data. This duality is a crucial aspect of understanding the relationships between different FQH states and their associated quantum properties. Furthermore, the research extends beyond theoretical validation, deliveri
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quantum-computingFault-tolerant quantum simulation of the Pauli-Breit Hamiltonian for ab initio hybrid quantum-classical molecular design with applications to photodynamic therapy
--> Quantum Physics arXiv:2601.18898 (quant-ph) [Submitted on 26 Jan 2026] Title:Fault-tolerant quantum simulation of the Pauli-Breit Hamiltonian for ab initio hybrid quantum-classical molecular design with applications to photodynamic therapy Authors:Emil Zak View a PDF of the paper titled Fault-tolerant quantum simulation of the Pauli-Breit Hamiltonian for ab initio hybrid quantum-classical molecular design with applications to photodynamic therapy, by Emil Zak View PDF Abstract:Relativistic spin effects drive subtle molecular phenomena ranging from intersystem crossing in photodynamic therapy to spin-mediated catalysis and high-resolution spectroscopy. These effects are described by the Pauli-Breit Hamiltonian, which extends the nonrelativistic electronic Hamiltonian by including one- and two-electron spin-orbit and spin-spin interactions. First-principles simulations of the full Pauli-Breit Hamiltonian rapidly become intractable on classical computers due to the exponential growth of the Hilbert space and the complexity of two-body spin-dependent terms. We propose a fault-tolerant quantum algorithm for computing molecular energy levels and properties governed by the Pauli-Breit Hamiltonian. Our approach block-encodes the relativistic Hamiltonian in a second-quantized, doubly factorized representation. By reformulating the Hamiltonian in a symmetry-adapted Majorana basis, we construct efficient linear-combination-of-unitaries circuits that encode spin-orbit interactions without effective or mean-field approximations. We introduce spin-controlled Pauli-SWAP networks that decouple spin and orbital control logic, enabling a unified treatment of relativistic spin mixing with only modest overhead relative to spin-free simulations. We analyze quantum resources in terms of logical qubits and T-gate complexity, showing that explicit spin degrees of freedom do not worsen the asymptotic scaling. The prefactor is reduced by a factor of two compared to direct linear-combinat
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quantum-computingMicrosoft Launches $200K Quantum Research Program for Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computers
Microsoft is investing $200,000 USD in a new initiative to accelerate the development of fault-tolerant quantum computers. The tech giant announced the 2026 Quantum Research Pioneers Program (QuPP) today, inviting leading academic researchers to push the boundaries of topological quantum computing – a promising approach focused on inherent error resilience. This program specifically targets measurement-based quantum computing, seeking innovations in areas from qubit dynamics to error correction. “The future of quantum computing will not be built by any one organization alone—it will be a collective achievement,” states Microsoft, highlighting the collaborative spirit of the QuPP, with proposals accepted from November 15, 2025, through January 31, 2026, and decisions announced on March 15, 2026. Topological Quantum Computing and Measurement-Based Logic Microsoft is pursuing topological quantum computing, a method promising “inherent error resilience” by encoding information in the global properties of matter, rather than relying on localized states. This approach diverges from conventional quantum computing by offering a potentially scalable path, though realizing this potential demands innovation across all system layers. A key area of exploration is measurement-based quantum computing, which utilizes adaptive measurements on entangled states to perform calculations—a technique that could simplify control and bolster robustness. To accelerate progress, the company is launching the “2026 Quantum Pioneers Program (QuPP),” inviting researchers to investigate next-generation measurement-based techniques. Proposals are sought addressing challenges such as novel simulations of topological qubit dynamics and innovative readout control for these systems. Microsoft specifically seeks research into quantum error correction and circuit compilation “tailored to measurement-based paradigms,” alongside early experiments demonstrating practical feasibility. The program will award
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