The University of Oxford has achieved a major milestone in the field of quantum computing. Physicists at the institution have successfully set a new global benchmark for controlling a single quantum bit (qubit), reducing the error rate to an astonishing 0.000015% – or one error in 6.7 million operations. This achievement represents nearly an order of magnitude improvement over the previous record, which was also held by the same research group.

To put this remarkable result into perspective, it’s more likely for a person to be struck by lightning in a given year (1 in 1.2 million) than for one of Oxford’s quantum logic gates to make a mistake. This breakthrough has significant implications for the development of practical and robust quantum computers that can tackle real-world problems.

The researchers utilized a trapped calcium ion as the qubit, which is a natural choice for storing quantum information due to its long lifetime and robustness. Unlike conventional methods, which rely on lasers, the Oxford team employed electronic (microwave) signals to control the quantum state of the ions. This approach offers greater stability and other benefits for building practical quantum computers.

The experiment was conducted at room temperature without magnetic shielding, simplifying the technical requirements for a working quantum computer. The previous best single-qubit error rate achieved by the Oxford team in 2014 was 1 in 1 million. The group’s expertise led to the launch of the spinout company Oxford Ionics in 2019, which has become an established leader in high-performance trapped-ion qubit platforms.

While this record-breaking result marks a significant milestone, the researchers caution that it is part of a larger challenge. Quantum computing requires both single- and two-qubit gates to function together. Currently, two-qubit gates still have significantly higher error rates – around 1 in 2000 in the best demonstrations to date – so reducing these will be crucial to building fully fault-tolerant quantum machines.

The experiments were carried out by a team of researchers from the University of Oxford’s Department of Physics, including Molly Smith, Aaron Leu, Dr Mario Gely, and Professor David Lucas, together with a visiting researcher, Dr Koichiro Miyanishi, from the University of Osaka’s Centre for Quantum Information and Quantum Biology. The Oxford scientists are part of the UK Quantum Computing and Simulation (QCS) Hub, which is a part of the ongoing UK National Quantum Technologies Programme.

The world of drone technology has taken a significant leap forward with the development of the Safety-Assured High-Speed Aerial Robot (SUPER) by Professor Fu Zhang and his team from the University of Hong Kong. This groundbreaking innovation enables micro air vehicles (MAVs) to fly at high speeds, navigate complex environments, and avoid obstacles as thin as 2.5 millimeters using solely onboard sensors and computing power.

Unlike traditional drones that rely on GPS or pre-mapped routes, SUPER is designed to emulate the flight capabilities of birds, effortlessly dodging branches and obstacles in real-time while racing toward its goal. This “robot bird” can fly at speeds exceeding 20 meters per second, making it an exceptional tool for various applications such as search and rescue, power line inspection, forest monitoring, autonomous exploration, and mapping.

The key to SUPER’s success lies in the sophisticated integration of hardware and software. The lightweight 3D light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor is capable of detecting obstacles up to 70 meters away with pinpoint accuracy. This is paired with an advanced planning framework that generates two trajectories during flight: one optimizing speed by venturing into unknown spaces and another prioritizing safety by remaining within known, obstacle-free zones.

By processing LIDAR data directly as point clouds, the system significantly reduces computation time, enabling rapid decision-making even at high velocities. This technology has been tested in various real-life applications, such as the autonomous exploration of ancient sites, and has demonstrated seamless navigation in both indoor and outdoor environments.

“The ability to avoid thin obstacles and navigate tight spaces opens up new possibilities for applications like search and rescue, where every second counts,” said Mr Yunfan Ren, the lead author of the research paper. “SUPER’s robustness in various lighting conditions, including nighttime, makes it a reliable tool for round-the-clock operations.”

The research team envisions a wide range of applications for this innovative technology, including autonomous delivery, power line inspection, forest monitoring, autonomous exploration, and mapping. In search and rescue missions, MAVs equipped with SUPER technology could swiftly navigate disaster zones – such as collapsed buildings or dense forests – day and night, locating survivors or assessing hazards more efficiently than current drones. Moreover, in disaster relief scenarios, they could deliver crucial supplies to remote and inaccessible areas.

This “bird-like flight” capability of SUPER has the potential to revolutionize various industries, making them more efficient, safer, and more reliable. The future of drone technology has indeed taken a significant leap forward with this groundbreaking innovation.

Scientists have long considered transistors to be one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century. These tiny components are the backbone of modern electronics, allowing us to amplify or switch electrical signals. However, as electronics continue to shrink, it’s become increasingly difficult to scale down silicon-based transistors. It seemed like we had hit a wall.

A team of researchers from The University of Tokyo has come up with an innovative solution. They’ve developed a new transistor made from gallium-doped indium oxide (InGaOx), a material that can be structured as a crystalline oxide. This orderly structure is well-suited for electron mobility, making it an ideal candidate for replacing traditional silicon-based transistors.

The researchers wanted to enhance efficiency and scalability, so they designed their transistor with a “gate-all-around” structure. In this design, the gate (which turns the current on or off) surrounds the channel where the current flows. This wraps the gate entirely around the channel, improving efficiency and allowing for further miniaturization.

To create this new transistor, the team used atomic-layer deposition to coat the channel region with a thin film of InGaOx, one atomic layer at a time. They then heated the film to transform it into the crystalline structure needed for electron mobility.

The results are promising: their gate-all-around MOSFET achieves high mobility of 44.5 cm2/Vs and operates stably under applied stress for nearly three hours. In fact, this new transistor outperforms similar devices that have previously been reported.

This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize electronics by providing more reliable and efficient components suited for applications with high computational demand, such as big data and artificial intelligence. These tiny transistors promise to help next-gen technology run smoothly, making a significant difference in our everyday lives.