Manufacturing qubits that can move: a step toward scalable quantum computing

The team moved an array of 256 silicon qubits over 1 millimetre using control electrodes precise to 50 nanometres. Quantum information was transferred with 99.4 per cent fidelity, around twice as good as in previous demonstrations.

Professor Jason Petta's Princeton group emphasised that their method is compatible with Intel's 22nm SOI technology, a critical step in scaling quantum chip making within mainstream semiconductor fabs. The Harvard team led by Marko Loncar developed the software stack.

Google Quantum AI, IBM and PsiQuantum called the results 'a sector-shifting moment'. The US Department of Energy said scalability would feature prominently in its post-2026 quantum investments. The European Union's Quantum Flagship has opened an additional 220 million euro funding line for similar projects.