The new modular architecture allows quantum chips to connect, disconnect, and scale up while maintaining high-performance quantum operations.
Scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a modular quantum computing system that connects separate devices using cables—similar to assembling LEGO bricks. The study published in Nature Electronics shows the modular design helps solve a major problem in building large quantum computers: how to scale up without reducing quality.
Quantum computers use qubits to process information. In large scale quantum systems require millions of qubits to function with high precision, but qubits often lose accuracy, especially when built as one large unit. To avoid this, researchers are now focusing on modular systems; smaller parts that work together as a complete system.
In this new setup, two superconducting qubit devices were linked using coaxial cables. The team showed that these connected modules could still perform quantum operations with high precision. They achieved about 99% fidelity in SWAP gates, which are used to exchange information between two qubits. This means only about 1% of the signal is lost—low enough to support further scaling.
The ability to assemble, disassemble, and reconfigure quantum devices provides advantages in system design and fault recovery. It also allows teams to isolate issues, replace faulty parts, and upgrade specific components without rebuilding the entire processor.
Unlike monolithic chips, modular hardware can be tested in stages and scaled more flexibly. The technique enables experimental setups to be reused and expanded, offering a more adaptable path toward fault-tolerant quantum computing.
