IBM (IBM.US) quantum computing reaches a critical milestone: successfully connecting and cooling two low-temperature modules, with the goal of launching the world's first fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2029.

IBM (IBM.US) announced on Wednesday that it has successfully connected and cooled two low-temperature modules to the same operating environment and completed initial testing. The company stated that this modular architecture is designed to scale into a superconducting shared system capable of connecting hundreds of quantum chips, marking a key step towards the launch of IBM Quantum Starling in 2029. IBM expects Quantum Starling to be the world's first fault-tolerant quantum computer, integrating advancements in error correction, processor design, decoding, and systems engineering. IBM indicated that the first two operational modules together exceed 8 feet in height and 8 feet in width. Initial tests show that these two modules can cool together to 4 Kelvin, or liquid helium temperature, in less than 5 days, and soon thereafter reach a final temperature below 15 millikelvin. Compared to the currently most widely used IBM quantum systems, each module's vacuum shell provides up to 12 times the wiring space. IBM pointed out that this supports more chip-to-chip connections both within and between the modules, providing a hardware foundation for larger-scale quantum computing. New architecture with L-coupler interconnect technology The new box design adopted by IBM allows the modules to be tightly arranged and utilizes the greater wiring space to connect quantum processors directly through IBM's "L-coupler" technology. The L-coupler is used to connect different quantum chips, enabling them to share information, communicate with each other, and operate cooperatively as part of a larger-scale quantum computer. According to IBM's quantum roadmap, the company plans to connect multiple processors into a larger-scale quantum computer with at least 1,000 programmable quantum bits using the L-coupler by 2027. Programmable quantum bits refer to those that can be directly used for computations. To achieve this goal, IBM plans to install the IBM Quantum Nighthawk processor into the low-temperature modules later this year to expand operational performance testing. By the time Quantum Starling is delivered, IBM plans for each low-temperature module to accommodate thousands of quantum bits. IBM announced the Starling initiative last year and introduced new error correction codes, significantly reducing the physical resources required for fault tolerance. Since then, the company has demonstrated core hardware components and made breakthroughs in efficient error correction decoding. Jay Gambetta, Vice President of IBM Research and an IBM Fellow, stated, "Bringing fault-tolerant quantum computing to various industries depends on multiple fundamental advancements. The successful connection and operation of these low-temperature modules mark an important step in that direction and will accelerate our progress alongside continuous innovations in quantum hardware, software, and algorithms." IBM also noted that the new scalable low-temperature modules are expected to accelerate the pace of innovation. For example, three key components of the IBM Quantum System Two environment have been integrated into the new architecture, but the new design allows for independent testing, improvement, and rapid iteration of each component. In terms of market performance, IBM's stock price rose about 2% on Wednesday. The company believes that the delivery of this low-temperature quantum module further demonstrates that it is systematically advancing according to its quantum roadmap and addressing another major obstacle to accelerating the path to fault-tolerant quantum computing.