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Publication Date: 2025-12-29 11:00:00
Microsoft’s Majorana 1 quantum chip
John Brecher/Microsoft
In February, Microsoft unveiled a new quantum computer called Majorana 1 and it quickly became one of the most controversial devices in quantum computing.
Majorana 1 caused controversy because it relies on a particular kind of quantum bit, or qubit, called a topological qubit. Theoretically, these are a lot more immune to errors than alternatives, making them an attractive proposition for building a largely error-proof quantum computer. For years, Microsoft has attempted to do just that, using elusive quasiparticles called Majorana zero modes (MZMs) as its basis for topological qubits – but its track record is mixed.
In 2021, a paper by a group of Microsoft researchers was retracted from the scientific journal Nature after independent experts identified a flaw in the analysis that had aimed to establish the basic building block of topological qubits. Then, in 2023, an experiment concerning a…
