Quantum computing’s “dark horse” just proved it can go universal

Researchers have shown that exotic quantum particles called non-Abelian anyons can perform the full range of operations needed for universal quantum computing. Using 54 qubits on Quantinuum’s H2 processor, they combined braiding and fusion to unlock capabilities that braiding alone could not provide. Quantum computing’s “dark horse” just proved it can go universal.

Researchers have now demonstrated a new way to reach that level of flexibility using unusual quantum objects known as non-Abelian anyons. Scientists from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME), Harvard, Stony Brook University, and Quantinuum created and tested a full set of operations based on non-Abelian anyons. Their results provide the first experimental demonstration that this approach can support the broad range of operations required for universal quantum computing.

"We demonstrated a so-called universal gate set — meaning that if you store information in these emergent versions of quarks, and you move them around, you can do any quantum computation you might want to do," said Ruben Verresen, assistant professor of molecular engineering at UChicago PME and a co-author of the new study published in Nature. A Possible Shortcut Around Costly Quantum Error Correction The strategy could do more than help create a general-purpose quantum computer. It may also offer a more efficient route toward reliable quantum machines.