Microsoft

has unveiled Majorana 1, the world’s first quantum chip built on a new Topological Core architecture. This innovation marks a significant step towards developing quantum computers capable of addressing complex, real-world problems within years, rather than decades, as previously anticipated.

The key to this advancement is the use of the world's first topoconductor, a revolutionary material that allows for the observation and control of Majorana particles. This capability enables the creation of more stable and scalable qubits, the fundamental units of quantum computers.
Microsoft draws a parallel between the invention of semiconductors, which revolutionised modern electronics, and the potential of topoconductors to transform quantum computing. The company believes that topoconductors and the chips they enable pave the way for quantum systems capable of scaling to a million qubits, unlocking the ability to tackle the most challenging industrial and societal problems.

This new architecture used to develop the Majorana 1 processor offers a clear path to fit a million qubits on a single chip that can fit in the palm of one’s hand, Microsoft said.

The topoconductor, also known as a topological superconductor, represents a unique class of material capable of generating an entirely new state of matter. This state is not a conventional solid, liquid, or gas, but rather a topological state. Microsoft is leveraging this unique property to create a more stable and robust type of qubit. This “topological qubit” offers significant advantages: it is fast, compact, and can be digitally controlled without the compromises inherent in current qubit designs.
As per Microsoft, this breakthrough required developing an entirely new materials stack made of indium arsenide and aluminium, much of which the company designed and fabricated atom by atom. The goal was to coax new quantum particles called Majoranas into existence and take advantage of their unique properties to reach the next horizon of quantum computing, Microsoft said.

A couple reflections on the quantum computing breakthrough we just announced...
Most of us grew up learning there are three main types of matter that matter: solid, liquid, and gas. Today, that changed.
After a nearly 20 year pursuit, we’ve created an entirely new state of matter, unlocked by a new class of materials, topoconductors, that enable a fundamental leap in computing.
It powers Majorana 1, the first quantum processing unit built on a topological core.
We believe this breakthrough will allow us to create a truly meaningful quantum computer not in decades, as some have predicted, but in years.
The qubits created with topoconductors are faster, more reliable, and smaller.
They are 1/100th of a millimeter, meaning we now have a clear path to a million-qubit processor.
Imagine a chip that can fit in the palm of your hand yet is capable of solving problems that even all the computers on Earth today combined could not!
Sometimes researchers have to work on things for decades to make progress possible.
It takes patience and persistence to have big impact in the world.
And I am glad we get the opportunity to do just that at Microsoft.
This is our focus: When productivity rises, economies grow faster, benefiting every sector and every corner of the globe.
It’s not about hyping tech; it’s about building technology that truly serves the world.