Hardware for useful quantum computing

The cryostat demo offers a detailed look inside an IBM quantum computing system. Our quantum processors need to be very cold—about a hundredth of a degree above absolute zero. This complex array of components creates the required ultra-cold environment. From top to bottom:

• Hermetic Feedthrough

  A tightly-sealed plate protects the flexible input wiring as it passes into the ultra-high vacuum fridge

• Pulse Tube Cooler

  This device provides initial cooling, down to temperatures of 4 kelvin. That’s -452.47° Fahrenheit, or -269.15° Celsius.

• Flexible Ribbon Cables

  Flexible printed circuit boards carry microwave signals into and out of this ultra-cold environment in an inexpensive, low-crosstalk manner.

• HEMT amplifiers

  These low-noise amplifiers take the weak readout signals from the qubits and make them large enough that they are not swamped by the electronic noise from the room temperature world outside the fridge.

• Superconducting coaxial lines

  These cables send signals to and from qubits, like a coaxial line for a cable television. The superconducting lines are zero-loss, meaning they can transmit information without losing energy.

• Magnetic Shield

  Electromagnetic signals like those from your phone create noise in a quantum system. This shield protects our systems from the interference of this kind of radiation. It’s particularly effective at the ultra-low temperatures in which we operate.

• Quantum limited amplifiers

  Quantum-limited amplifiers (QLAs) boost the faint readout signals that come from sensitive quantum processors while adding the minimum amount of noise allowed by the laws of quantum mechanics.

• Quantum processors

  IBM Quantum Heron is a 156-qubit processor designed for performance and the basis of our plan to scale quantum computers. Heron contains the qubit and gate technology that forms the foundation of our development roadmap.