Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced on Tuesday that Professor Kim Kab-Jin and his research team from the Department of Physics have successfully demonstrated the world’s first key technology for quantum computing using materials with magnetic properties (ferromagnets).
The research team, led by Professor Kim, developed a Photon-Magnon Hybrid Chip through collaborative research with the U.S. Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. This breakthrough allowed them to implement real-time multi-pulse interference phenomena within ferromagnets.
While scientists have long suggested the possibility of using magnons for quantum computing and communication systems, a crucial hurdle remained. It was essential to develop technology that could transmit, measure, and control magnon phase information in real time.
In a groundbreaking achievement, the research team successfully observed magnons transmitting input values without loss to distant magnets. They accomplished this by utilizing small magnetic beads and superconducting resonators, similar to those used in quantum computers developed by tech giants like Google and IBM. Notably, the team demonstrated the ability to arbitrarily control the interference patterns of magnons formed inside the magnets by fine-tuning the frequency and time intervals of multiple pulses (signals).
KAIST officials emphasized that this experiment marks a significant turning point in the development of ferromagnet-based quantum computing platforms. It’s the world’s first demonstration that magnets can serve as core components for quantum operations.
Reflecting on the project, Professor Kim explained that the research began as a somewhat unconventional but adventurous idea about developing a quantum computer using magnets. He noted that it not only opens up possibilities in the emerging field of quantum spintronics but also represents a crucial milestone for advancing high-efficiency quantum information processing devices.
The groundbreaking research has garnered international recognition, with findings published in prestigious journals such as npj Spintronics and Nature Communications.