China Launches 504-qubit Quantum Computing Chip

Chinese researchers have announced a 504-qubit superconducting quantum computing chip, a record for the number of qubits in a superconducting chip made in China.

The chip, named Xiaohong, meaning “morning rainbow,” was developed by researchers at the Center for Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

Xiaohong is intended for use in developing large-scale quantum computing measurement and control systems.

The first one has been delivered to QuantumCTek, a company that manufactures quantum secure communication, quantum computing and quantum measuring. The company plans to use it to test the kilo-qubit measurement and control system it makes.

China Telecom Quantum Group intends to collaborate with QuantumCTek to integrate the new quantum chip into the company’s quantum cloud platform. According to deputy general manager Wang Zhen, it will enable researchers to work on quantum algorithms to solve practical problems.

Atom Computing announced it had created a 1,225-site atomic array populated with 1,180 neutral-atom qubits in October 2023 and IBM debuted its 1,121 superconducting qubit Condor quantum processor in December 2023.

While the overall number of qubits offered by a quantum chip indicates its processing power, factors such as error correction capabilities and design purpose mean qubit numbers do not provide a direct comparison.

Related:China “Ahead in Quantum” Despite Funding Blocks