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Quantum Computers Cross Critical Error Threshold | Quanta Magazine

In a first, researchers have shown that adding more “qubits” to a quantum computer can make it more resilient. It’s an essential step on the long road to practical applications.

The year before, the American applied mathematician Peter Shor had devised a quantum algorithm for breaking large numbers into their prime factors. Specifically, they needed to show that as they scaled up the code — by using a larger patch of the physical-qubit grid to encode the logical qubit — the error rate would get lower. In August, a new batch of 105-qubit Willow chips came out, but by then the team was approaching a hard deadline — the testing cycle for the next round of design improvements was about to begin.

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