There is something interesting happening at the coldest place in known universe. Quantum computing, which has long been seen as the modern equivalent of flying cars, which has promised to revolutionize everything that needs computing power. However, a practical, scalable quantum computer remains elusive mostly because of one problem: quantum bit (qubit) instability. Microsoft has recently announced its Majorana 1 chip, a prototype quantum processor which harnesses exotic Majorana zero modes particles in order to build inherently topologically stable qubits. It has been hailed as a potential game changer in the race to build a viable quantum machine commercially when it was unveiled in February of 2025 after almost 17 years of research.
Traditional qubits are very fragile and are easily disturbed by environmental noise. In order for quantum computers to outperform classical systems on complex tasks, it is very crucial to overcome this fragility. Topological qubits are a proposed solution, where devices encode information in globally braided arrangement of quasi particles instead of the individual ones. This reduces the chances of error which dramatically reduces the overhead needed for quantum error correction. Majorana zero modes particles can also serve as a robust building block for topological qubits when hosted at the ends of special superconducting wires.
The Majorana chip by Microsoft is built on topological core architecture which is enabled by topoconductors, which are composed of an indium arsenide and aluminum hybrid that facilitates the formation of a topological superconducting state with a protective energy gap and the emergence of Majorana zero modes at the edge’s which offers a route to quantum bit stability. In a peer reviewed paper, Microsoft engineers described this breakthrough as being enabled through “an entirely new state of matter,” promising to scale to the million qubit regime on chips that can fit in your hand. Microsoft’s goal is to host a million qubits on every chip with Majorana 1 chip currently demonstrating eight topological qubits which will usher in a new era of highly efficient, error free quantum computing.
If successful, this approach will bring practical quantum computers even closer to reality. As topological qubits are inherently error resistant, they need fewer number of extra qubits for error correction which, in theory, can reduce overhead by as much as 90 percent when compared with current competing models. These developments could be crucial for tackling multivariable real world problems such as global warming, protein discoveries, and logistics optimization. The company is aiming to solidify itself as a leader in quantum innovation through further research, experimentation, and peer reviews.
Despite the good news, this chip is not without its skeptics. Even though the data presented by Microsoft is promising, it is not conclusive evidence that proves the existence of Majorana zero modes. Andreev bound states are similar to Majorana particles without the topological protection that is needed for quantum computing. Though further hurdles like scaling and proving the presence of Majorana still remains, this breakthrough provides a look into what quantum computers might offer in future. As active players in the field of quantum computers continues to improve their technology, the day of solving the problems that seems insolvable today comes closer than ever before.
Reference: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/feb/19/topoconductor-chip-quantum-computing-topological-qubits-microsoft
https://www.theverge.com/news/614205/microsoft-quantum-computing-majorana-1-processor
