Israeli scientists builds its first quantum computer

Jerusalem: Israeli scientists have developed the country’s first quantum computer, Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS) has announced.

In contrast to classical computers’ units, quantum bits, known as qubits, can be simultaneously present in more than one position or state, enabling them to conduct multiple calculations in parallel, leading to vast computing power, Xinhua news agency reported.

The new WIS computer, which relies on an advanced technology known as ion traps, is a five-qubit machine.

The Israeli team addressed the challenge of the computer’s extreme sensitivity to environmental noise by introducing two innovations, both successfully implemented in the new quantum computer.

An ion trap inside a vacuum chamber was placed in a large metal container, which shields the ions from magnetic noise. These elements are part of the quantum computer built by researchers at the Weizmann Institute, March 22, 2022. (Photo: Times of Israel)

An even larger computer, which is currently being built in the team’s lab, is expected to work with 64 qubits and demonstrate the quantum advantage. So far, it has only been achieved by computers built by the University of Science and Technology of China and the US Google company, according to WIS.

In mid-February, the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) announced a national quantum computer project as part of a national quantum science and technologies programme.

The building of the national computer, at a cost of $62 million, is funded by the IIA and the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (MAFAT) at Israel’s Defense Ministry.