---
title: "Quantum Computer Breakthrough Achieved by Quantinuum Researchers"
url: https://newscentral.site/quantum-computer-breakthrough-achieved-by-quantinuum-researchers/
language: en
publisher: "News Central Site"
section: "Science"
published: 2026-10-19T12:00:00.000Z
updated: 2026-10-20T10:05:19.384Z
id: 98733791-f139-4ae3-873e-83cc7627fb5c
source: "New Scientist https://www.newscientist.com/article/2594366-error-correction-record-pushes-quantum-computers-closer-to-usefulness/?utm_campaign=RSS|NSNS&utm_content=home&utm_medium=RSS&utm_source=NSNS"
attribution: "Link to https://newscentral.site/quantum-computer-breakthrough-achieved-by-quantinuum-researchers/ and name News Central Site when you quote or summarize this story."
---

# Quantum Computer Breakthrough Achieved by Quantinuum Researchers

Researchers at Quantinuum have successfully implemented error-correction methods on the Helios-1 quantum computer, resulting in unprecedented reliability for storing information.

A significant breakthrough in the development of quantum computers has been achieved by researchers at Quantinuum, a company that operates the Helios-1 quantum computer.

The team has successfully implemented error-correction methods, resulting in an unprecedented level of reliability when storing information on the device. This is a crucial step towards making complex calculations possible with these machines. The achievement brings scientists closer to harnessing the full potential of quantum computers.

Quantum computers have the capability to solve problems and make discoveries that are currently beyond the reach of even the most advanced supercomputers. However, their development has been hindered by the inherent error-prone nature of the devices.

To overcome this limitation, researchers worldwide are working on perfecting error-correction methods. This involves encoding individual qubits into groups called logical qubits, which are less susceptible to errors during calculations. The goal is to create a stable and reliable platform for complex computations.

David Hayes and his colleagues at Quantinuum have made a notable contribution in this area by achieving the lowest error rate yet recorded for logical qubits on the Helios-1 device.

The team used a specific type of computer coding called colour code to turn their qubits into logical ones. This approach has proven effective in reducing errors in quantum computing. The researchers tested the logical qubits' ability to store information and found that they made as few as five errors for every million uses. This is a significant improvement over previous experiments, where hundreds of errors were recorded for every million uses.

The team also explored the possibility of using two logical qubits for simple error-corrected mathematical operations. In this scenario, the error rate was roughly 10 times higher than in single-qubit tests, with about seven errors recorded for every 100,000 qubit uses. Despite this increase, the results demonstrate that Helios-1's logical qubits are capable of performing complex calculations.

The researchers attribute part of their success to improved control over the physical qubits. Whenever a qubit's energy shifts in an undesirable way, which can occur naturally and compromise accuracy, it is corrected by a special laser pulse. This correction mechanism, combined with the colour code, enables the logical qubits to maintain high accuracy.

The team has also observed that the error rate of each logical qubit decreases as more physical qubits are added to it. This suggests that increasing the number of physical qubits can lead to improved performance and reduced errors in quantum computing. The findings build on previous work and bring the field closer to achieving practical applications for quantum computers.

The researchers observed that increasing the size of a logical qubit from seven to 19 physical qubits resulted in a significant reduction in error rate, which diminished twelve-fold. This trend was also seen when the number of physical qubits increased from 19 to 37.

To be useful, quantum computers need error-correction methods that improve with increasing qubit counts, as more qubits contribute to greater computational power. The new experiment's findings suggest that its error-correction method meets this criterion.

According to Murphy Niu at the University of California, Santa Barbara, the study represents a major step towards scalable fault-tolerant quantum computing - essentially, an error-proof quantum computer. This achievement brings researchers closer to building more reliable and powerful quantum machines.

The success of Helios-1's low error rates paves the way for the development of "megaquop" machines capable of 1 million reliable quantum operations. However, Flammia cautions that it remains to be seen whether these low error rates will persist when executing complex mathematical operations with logical qubits.

Researchers have long identified error correction as a crucial hurdle for achieving fault-tolerant quantum computing. This challenge involves developing methods to detect and correct errors in calculations performed on qubits, which are the fundamental units of quantum information.

The number of qubits required for useful applications is also a significant issue, with experts estimating that around 100 logical qubits would be needed for known applications of megaquop machines. Currently, Quantinuum's Helios-1 computer has roughly 100 physical qubits, which falls short of this requirement.

Building larger quantum computers will require significant effort and investment, according to industry insiders. The development of the next-generation Sol computer, nearly twice as large as Helios-1, is expected to be a major undertaking for Quantinuum.

The success of the new experiment provides a foundation for future development in the field, but it also highlights the ongoing competition within the quantum computing industry, where several research teams have already made significant strides in building larger-scale prototypes.

---
Source: [New Scientist](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2594366-error-correction-record-pushes-quantum-computers-closer-to-usefulness/?utm_campaign=RSS|NSNS&utm_content=home&utm_medium=RSS&utm_source=NSNS)  
Published by News Central Site: https://newscentral.site/quantum-computer-breakthrough-achieved-by-quantinuum-researchers/