HRL shows silicon quantum processor with onboard control

HRL Laboratories published a quantum computing milestone in Nature: a silicon quantum processor that runs itself. Instead of relying on racks of external electronics to generate every control signal, HRL used a custom control chip positioned near the qubits in extreme cold.

The combined system autonomously ran error correction, a routine considered essential for any future quantum computer. HRL’s approach targets a central scaling challenge across quantum computing platforms: controlling the large number of qubits needed for a useful machine without creating an unmanageable mass of wiring and electronics.