IBM Corp. today debuted a new quantum processor dubbed Osprey that features 433 qubits, more than three times as many as its previous-generation chip.

IBM developed Osprey as part of a long-term research effort focused on developing a large-scale quantum computer. It’s believed that such a system would be capable of performing calculations too complex for even the most advanced conventional supercomputers. Large-scale quantum computers could help advance research in areas such as chemistry, artificial intelligence and logistics.

“The new 433 qubit ‘Osprey’ processor brings us a step closer to the point where quantum computers will be used to tackle previously unsolvable problems,” said IBM Director of Research Darío Gil. “We are continuously scaling up and advancing our quantum technology across hardware, software and classical integration to meet the biggest challenges of our time, in conjunction with our partners and clients worldwide.”

IBM’s new 433-qubit Osprey chip is reportedly based on superconducting transmon qubit technology. The same technology powers IBM’s previous-generation quantum chip, Eagle, which debuted in 2021 and features 127 qubits.

Qubits are the basic building blocks of a quantum computer: they store data and carry out calculations on that data. IBM’s new Osprey chip features qubits made from superconducting materials. Superconducting materials enable electricity to travel from one point to another without generating heat or losing energy. 

Osprey uses a specific implementation of superconducting qubits known as transmon qubit technology. The technology, which was invented at Yale University in 2007, is designed to make quantum chips less susceptible to noise. Noise is the term for interference that can cause errors in a quantum chip’s circuits.

Osprey’s qubits don’t carry out calculations on their own, but rather rely on an external qubit control system to manage the process. The system uses microwave pulses to manage the qubits’ configuration. During the development of Osprey, IBM made extensive upgrades to this component of its quantum hardware portfolio. 

The previous version of the qubit control system was powered by a field-programmable gate array, or FPGA. An FPGA is a chip that can be fine-tuned for a specific computing task to increase the speed at which it carries out the task. IBM has reportedly replaced the FPGA with an application-specific integrated circuit, a type of chip that can be fine-tuned even more extensively to further increase processing performance.

The instructions that the system generates to coordinate how Osprey’s qubits carry out calculations travel to those qubits via specialized wires. According to IBM, it has developed an improved wire design that requires 70% less space and can be manufactured at a lower cost. 

After signals from the qubit control system reach Osprey, each signal must be routed to the relevant qubit within the chip. That task is performed by a component that IBM describes as a multilayer wiring system. It’s directly integrated into the Osprey chip.

IBM first implemented the multilayer wiring system in its previous-generation Eagle quantum processor. In the Eagle processor, the component is implemented as three layers of metal arranged atop one another. The component’s design is intended to reduce interference and thereby lower the risk of qubit errors. 

IBM’s efforts to increase the reliability of its quantum chips also encompass software. Alongside Osprey, the company today debuted a new version of Qiskit Runtime, a software platform for creating algorithms that can run on its quantum chips. The new version provides access to error mitigation algorithms that enable developers to trade off qubit performance for increased calculation reliability.

Because they are susceptible to interference, quantum chips like Osprey must be deployed in specialized enclosures cooled to temperatures near absolute zero. IBM today introduced a new version of its quantum chip enclosure called the IBM Quantum System Two that is set to become available by the end of 2023. 

The enclosure can hold multiple quantum chips with up to 4,158 qubit between them, according to the company. Moreover, it can accommodate the chips’ qubit control systems. IBM stated that up to three Quantum System Two enclosures can be linked together to create a quantum computing environment with as many as 16,632 qubits.

IBM plans to improve its quantum computing hardware further over the coming years. In 2023, the company intends to introduce a next-generation quantum chip called Condor that will have more than twice as many qubits as Osprey.

Even further down the road, IBM plans to develop quantum chips that can be linked together for performance optimization purposes. The first such system is expected to arrive in 2024. According to IBM, the second chip in the series is set to arrive in 2025 and will provide the ability to create a multichip processor with 4,158 qubits. 

Photo: IBM