Quantum Computing Company Demonstrates Control of Single Electrons at Temperatures More Than 100x Higher Than Previous Experiments
The paper, titled "Sensing and Control of Single Trapped Electrons Above 1 Kelvin," details a significant milestone: the first demonstration of controlling and detecting individual electrons trapped on superfluid helium at temperatures above 1 Kelvin. This work was achieved using on-chip superconducting microwave circuits, a method compatible with existing quantum hardware.
Quantum computers today typically require operation at ultra-low temperatures near 10 millikelvin, creating severe challenges in scaling due to heat dissipation. By showing that individual electrons can be trapped and controlled at temperatures more than 100 times higher (above 1 Kelvin), EeroQ's results open a new pathway toward larger and more practical quantum processors. The findings also validate long-standing theoretical predictions that electrons on helium can provide exceptionally pure and long-lived qubits, while reducing the extreme cooling demands that limit other approaches.
"This breakthrough confirms that electron-on-helium qubits can potentially be manipulated and read out at higher temperatures than previously thought possible, reducing a key barrier to scalable quantum computing," said Johannes Pollanen, co-founder and Chief Science Officer at EeroQ. "Publishing in PRX underscores both the scientific rigor and the industry importance of this advance."
EeroQ's approach - floating single electrons on superfluid helium - leverages one of the purest environments in physics to enable stable, long-coherence qubits. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Chicago, the company brings together expertise in physics, engineering, and nanofabrication to translate this research into scalable processors. By integrating the electron-on-helium platform with standard superconducting circuits, EeroQ aims to build quantum computers that are both powerful and practical to operate.
EeroQ is a Chicago-based quantum computing company building a quantum computer (QC) using electrons on helium. Founded in 2017, EeroQ's unique approach to building a QC leverages today's existing chip fabrication technology (CMOS), allowing the company to scale rapidly using a fraction of the resources most companies require. EeroQ is also helping to create early ethical and policy guidelines to maximize the positive impact of QC. The company's core technology is patented and developed in partnership with Michigan State University. For more information, visit www.eeroq.com.
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