Page 23 - Summer 2024

ADVANCES IN

QUANTUM COMPUTING

NPL TO JOIN CERN NEUTRON AT MANCHESTER

TIME-OF-FLIGHT FACILITY UNIVERSITY

The National Physical Laboratory has signed including advanced nuclear reactors (Gen Ultra-pure Form of Silicon developed information that they hold. Even tiny changes
a Memorandum of Understanding with the IV) and fuel cycles. Of particular interest are in their environment, including temperature
European Laboratory for Particle Physics reactions that produce hydrogen, tritium and The University of Manchester in collaboration fluctuations, can cause computer errors.
(CERN) to join its neutron time-of-flight facility, helium in a range of materials, as this data with the University of Melbourne, Australia,
n_TOF in Geneva. underpins the development of tritium breeding has produced an enhanced, ultra-pure form of Another major challenge is one of scale both in
blankets, plasma-facing armor components, silicon that is set to allow for the construction of terms of physical size and in processing power.
This is a world-leading facility for neutron and reactor component lifetime against high-performance qubit devices, significantly Ten qubits have the same processing power as
measurements that uses high-intensity neutron radiation damage. These are all notably key to advancing quantum computing technology. 1,024 bits in a standard computer and so can
beams with a wide energy range to precisely the commercialisation of nuclear fusion. occupy a much smaller volume. It is estimated
measure neutron-related processes including that a fully performing quantum computer
neutron-nucleus interactions. Specific technical challenges associated with needs around a million qubits, which provides a
generating electricity from nuclear fusion include capability that is not feasible with any traditional
The role of NPL will be specifically to perform material issues resulting from the intense flux of computer.
accurate cross-section measurements of neutrons and creating the conditions needed to
neutron-induced nuclear reactions relevant to achieve ignition. The semiconducting properties of silicon make it
the development of new nuclear technologies the material of choice for traditional computing,
In collaboration with other n_TOF members, but natural silicon is composed of three atoms
the NPL team hopes to open the way for a of different mass, namely silicon 28, silicon 29
dedicated experimental programme that will and silicon 30. Silicon 29, however, which makes
Visit our lead to more reliable simulation and operational up about 5 per cent of silicon, causes a ‘nuclear
understanding of next-generation fission and flip flopping’ effect that results in the qubit losing
website! fusion reactors. information.

Why not head down to our Reference: ‘NPL partners with CERN’, Instrumentation Monthly, May In a breakthrough at the University of
2024, p.5 Manchester scientists have managed to remove
website and read more
the silicon 29 and 30 atoms, so as to create the
news in our blog section?
world’s purest silicon that will enable the creation
Updated daily with of one million qubits fabricated to the size of a
One of the biggest challenges in the pin head.
hand-picked articles
development of quantum computers is
from around the web...
that qubits, the building blocks of quantum
Richard Curry, Professor of Advanced Electronic
computing, are highly sensitive and require
institutionofelectronics.ac.uk Materials at the University of Manchester,
a stable environment in order to retain the
explains:
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