• A team from KAIST and U.S. researchers demonstrated that magnets can perform quantum computing functions using a photon-magnon hybrid chip.
• The hybrid chip utilizes yttrium iron garnet (YIG) magnets and superconducting resonators for lossless signal transmission and real-time multi-pulse interference.
• This advancement could lead to more robust, simpler, and cheaper quantum devices compared to existing systems relying on superconducting qubits or ion traps.

A collaborative research effort between the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Argonne National Laboratory, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has achieved a significant milestone in quantum computing. The team successfully demonstrated that magnets can be used to perform quantum computing operations by developing a photon-magnon hybrid chip. This chip employs yttrium iron garnet (YIG) magnets and superconducting resonators, enabling lossless signal transmission. This breakthrough opens new possibilities for developing scalable and efficient quantum systems using more accessible materials.

• What: Development of a photon-magnon hybrid chip utilizing magnets for quantum computing operations, achieving lossless signal transmission and real-time multi-pulse interference.
• Who: Researchers from KAIST, Argonne National Laboratory, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, led by Professor Kim Kap-jin.
• When: Findings were recently published in NPJ Spintronics and Nature Communications (date of publications not extracted).
• Where: Research conducted at KAIST (South Korea), Argonne National Laboratory, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (USA).

This research marks a significant step forward in exploring alternative approaches to quantum computing. The successful integration of magnets into quantum operations addresses previous concerns about noise and signal degradation associated with magnetic components. The use of magnons, with their ability to carry information in a single direction, offers a promising way to reduce errors in quantum information systems. Moreover, the potential for creating simpler and cheaper quantum devices using widely available materials like YIG magnets could democratize access to quantum technologies.

We have opened up the possibilities of a new research field called quantum spintronics. This is expected to be an important turning point for the development of high-efficiency quantum information processing devices.

The magnetic order is a new tuning knob for shaping excitons and their interactions. This could be a game changer for future electronics and information technology.

The long-term vision is, you could potentially build quantum machines or devices that use these three or even all four of these properties: photons to transfer information, electrons to process information through their interactions, magnetism to store information, and phonons to modulate and transduce information to new frequencies

The demonstration of magnet-based quantum computing by KAIST and U.S. researchers represents a pivotal advancement in the field. By overcoming challenges related to noise and signal degradation, the team has paved the way for exploring more accessible and cost-effective quantum technologies. Further research is needed to scale up these magnetic systems and integrate them into existing quantum platforms. However, this proof-of-concept provides significant momentum for future development and innovation in quantum computing architectures.