TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
Jan 25, 2025
The Transistor of the Quantum Age: Majorana 1
"Can topological qubits revolutionize quantum computing?"
Quantum computers have the potential to solve complex problems that classical computers cannot, but the fragility of qubits, high error rates, and scalability issues remain the biggest obstacles to practical applications. Microsoft's recent announcement claims that its new quantum chip, named “Majorana 1,” aims to overcome these challenges.
The Current State of Quantum Computers
In classical computers, bits operate with values of 0 and 1, while qubits in quantum computers can represent both 0 and 1 simultaneously due to superposition. This feature enables parallel computing. The more complex the problem, the more qubits are required, which reduces the time needed to find a solution.
However, qubits are extremely sensitive: external factors such as temperature fluctuations, electromagnetic interference, or cosmic rays can easily disrupt their quantum state. This is why quantum computers operate at temperatures close to absolute zero (e.g., 10 millikelvin) in highly isolated environments.
For instance, a 4000-qubit quantum computer could break a 2048-bit RSA encryption in seconds. This poses significant threats to areas such as email encryption, digital signatures, online banking, cloud storage, and data security. Theoretically, no encryption is unbreakable: for example, it is estimated that a 13-million-qubit quantum computer could break the Bitcoin network in a single day.
Despite advancements, even the most sophisticated quantum processors today (such as Google’s 105-qubit Willow or IBM’s 1000-qubit Condor) still struggle with stability issues despite error correction mechanisms. For example, Google's qubits can maintain stability for only 100 microseconds (0.0001 seconds). The following image illustrates the number of qubits achieved by different companies as of 2022 and the approaches they are working on.
Microsoft's Revolutionary Claim: Majorana 1 Chip
Microsoft describes the Majorana 1 chip as the "transistor of the quantum age" defines. At the core of this claim is a new approach called topological qubit. Topological qubits stand out for being inherently resistant to errors.
Microsoft has announced that it has successfully stabilized Majorana fermions using a special material. This material consists of a superconducting layer placed on top of a semiconductor. Quantum information is encoded in the Majorana particles formed at the intersection points of these layers. According to Microsoft, this design provides hardware-level error resistance, significantly reducing the need for software-based error correction. As a result, topological qubits are expected to be more durable and reliable than conventional qubits.
The Potential of Majorana 1 and the Challenges Ahead
Microsoft aims to build a system with 1 million stable qubits by 2030. If achieved, quantum computers could revolutionize fields such as drug discovery, climate modeling, and carbon capture technologies. In particular, the discovery of new chemical compounds and enzyme production could bring groundbreaking advancements to the food industry. Microsoft's topological approach may enhance energy efficiency and scalability by reducing the need for software-based error correction.
However, at present, the Majorana 1 chip contains only 8 topological qubits and has yet to perform a fully functional quantum computation.
Proof of Majorana Fermions: Although Microsoft claims to have observed Majorana particles, these results have not yet been independently verified. In 2018, the QuTech team in the Netherlands had to retract a similar claim. This indicates that the existence of Majorana fermions remains a subject of debate. Alternative experimental approaches may be required to develop different techniques for observing these particles.
Scalability: The claim that the chip can be scaled using H-shaped wires seems theoretically sound, but in practice, controlling and cooling millions of qubits poses a significant engineering challenge. Theoretically, by combining H-shaped structures, a large-scale quantum processor could be created, but currently, there is no system that proves this architecture works at large scales. More experimental data is needed to definitively say whether scalability is achievable.
Timeline: Microsoft's 2030 goal is highly ambitious given the current pace of quantum technology development. However, Microsoft is not the only company making such claims—IBM made a similar statement five years ago. More realistic predictions are needed regarding when a truly functional quantum computer will be available.
Although Majorana 1 introduces a new approach to quantum computing, the strategies pursued by companies in this field can be seen as a form of technological gamble. Each company is trying to achieve success through different methods, and the results will become clear in the coming decades. However, Majorana 1 does not mean that quantum computers have already achieved stability or a high number of qubits. There is still a long way to go to reach this goal.
