Intel and QuTech Unveil Horse Ridge Cryogenic Control Chip For Quantum Computing

At the International Solid State Circuits Conference, which runs through this week in San Francisco, Intel and QuTech -- a partnership between Delft University of Technology and TNO (Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research) -- are unveiling the technical designs for a first-of-its-kind cryogenic control chip for quantum computing, which they call Horse Ridge. From a report: Intel Labs and QuTech researchers outlined the technical features of the new cryogenic quantum control chip in a research paper. They designed the scalable system-on-chip (SOC) to operate at cryogenic temperatures, simplifying the control electronics and interconnects required to elegantly scale and operate large quantum computing systems. Horse Ridge addresses fundamental challenges in building a quantum system powerful enough to demonstrate quantum practicality -- scalability, flexibility, and fidelity.

The challenge of quantum computing is that right now, it only really works at near-freezing temperatures. Intel is trying to change that, but the control chip is a step toward enabling control at very low temperatures, as it eliminates hundreds of wires going into a refrigerated case that houses the quantum computer. Currently, quantum researchers are working with just a small number of qubits, or quantum bits, using smaller, custom-designed systems surrounded by complex control and interconnect mechanisms. Intel's Horse Ridge greatly minimizes this complexity.

Quantum Entangled Frosty Piss

[Killall -9 Bash]

So how many PCI express lanes does it have?

Re:

[SirAstral]

None, they are now called "Entanglement Express" lanes and the number is... "As many as you want"!

or... as many as you can "afford" and if you have to ask that question... then you can't even afford 1.

It only works at near-freezing temperatures

[remoteshell]

Sounds like a business opportunity for Frigidaire. I'm thinking Harvest Gold or Avocado Green cases.

Re:

[Fly Swatter]

If they build em like those china made dehumidifiers, your gonna be replacing them every 18 months. DAMHIKT.

Near freezing

[Nethemas the Great]

near-freezing temperatures

Of what helium? Near-zero (Kelvin) perhaps...?

Re: Near freezing

[niftydude]

I was confused bt that too. The article says the chip works at cryogenic temperatures which usually means liquid nitrogen temps of 77K. But all the demontrated qubits operate in helium dilutions fridges at milli Kelvin temps.

Add to that the fact that at low temps the TCE of Si reverses and it starts to swell as it cools, and it means that Si chips that work at 77K aren't guaranteed to still be working at even lower temperatures.

Lol

[niftydude]

They designed the scalable system-on-chip (SOC) to operate at cryogenic temperatures, simplifying the control electronics and interconnects required to elegantly scale and operate large quantum computing systems.

If only there were large quantum computing systems to control.

We get it - all the control systems and software to run quantum computers is easy to do, which is why it's so easy to scam investors into funding dozens of shitty quantum computing infrastructure startups that hit their milestones and produce products that no one can use yet.

Wake me up when someone makes a quantum computer with enough qubits to be useful.