World's first silicon-based quantum computer is small enough to plug into a regular power socket

This new quantum computer uses silicon-based spin qubits as opposed to superconducting qubits or trapped-ion qubits deployed in most other machines. (Image credit: Fergal Phillips)

A startup has launched the first quantum device in the world that blends the potential of quantum computing with the convenience and integration of traditional high-performance computing (HPC).

Equal1 representatives unveiled Bell-1 on March 16 — a new six-qubit machine that can fit seamlessly into existing HPC environments like data centers, company representatives said in a statement.

The machine tips the scale at slightly more than 440 pounds (200 kilograms) but it's rack-mountable — meaning it can be mounted onto a physical rack in a data center — and it's roughly the same size as existing graphics processing unit (GPU) servers.

Unlike other quantum computers, the Bell-1 doesn't require specialized infrastructure to deploy, and it doesn't need additional equipment to be cooled to near-absolute zero.

That's because it boasts its own self-contained, closed-cycle cryo cooling unit, which enables the system to operate at a remarkable 0.3 kelvin, or minus 459.13 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 272.85 degrees Celsius).

The machine makes use of the latest semiconductor fabrication techniques as well as purified silicon, which allows for a high level of control and long coherence times (a qubit's ability to exist in multiple states simultaneously, which is crucial for quantum algorithms and computations).

Rack-mountable quantum computing

The Bell-1's qubits are silicon-based, meaning they’re smaller than conventional qubits, and the chip at the heart of the machine incorporates quantum processor units (QPUs) with Arm CPUs — traditional processors known for their small size and efficiency — and neural processing units (NPUs) — specialized processors for accelerating machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI).

Incorporating all these elements onto a single chip eliminates the complex orchestration that would otherwise be necessary between classical and quantum computing elements. As long as you've got the space in a rack, all it requires is a standard electrical outlet: plug it in and it's ready to work, Equal1 representatives said.

Quauntum computer with shield (left) and without shield (right). — (Image credit: Fergal Phillips)

The company's chip, called the UnityQ 6-Qubit Quantum Processing System, utilizes spin qubits, in contrast to many quantum computing platforms that rely on either trapped-ion or superconducting qubits. Silicon-based spin qubits are compact, leading to potentially higher qubit density, and could leverage existing semiconductor fabrication techniques, meaning more scalability.

The chip fitted into the Bell-1 also incorporates error correction, control and readout, while taking advantage of existing semiconductor infrastructure for reliability and scalability.