The world's first portable diamond quantum computer

Quantum computing is often associated with huge cooling systems and complex infrastructure, but Germany's Saxon Q wants to change that completely. Their new diamond quantum computer is based on a nitrogen-gap architecture and combines performance and portability. The entire system is housed in a standard server case and operates from a completely normal electrical outlet.

Saxon Q’s system uses synthetic diamonds in which individual nitrogen atoms replace carbon atoms. These “trapped” nitrogen atoms have electrons whose spin can be controlled separately from their surroundings. Using special lasers, the researchers set the state to zero and then use microwave pulses to precisely manipulate the quantum states. The key breakthrough, highlighted by Prof. Marius Grundmann of Leipzig University and co-founder of the company, was the simultaneous incorporation of sulfur. Sulfur provides a negative charge and electrons, thereby greatly increasing the stability and control of the qubits.

Currently, Saxon Q system configurations are available with up to 128 qubits, with a 512-qubit version planned for next year. The long-term goal beyond 2030 remains to exceed the 10,000 qubit mark. However, some healthy skepticism and skepticism should be maintained. Although the company reports high accuracy without error correction (99.92 percent, or the latest 99.98 percent for individual qubits), this data has not yet been independently verified by external researchers. In addition, the question of speed remains an open scientific question, as superconducting quantum computers are typically faster than diamond ones.

The main advantage offered by the quantum computer from Saxon Q is local use. The ability to operate without a connection to the cloud is extremely important for edge computing, such as autonomous driving or robotics, where delays are unacceptable. The main challenge for further increasing performance remains the size of the chips, as a single chip currently accommodates only 8 to 16 qubits, but for more complex operations, thousands of qubits will need to be squeezed onto a single chip.