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Two paths to scalable quantum computing: Optical links between fridges and higher-temperature qubits

Phys · · 895 words · By Yale University

The article reports on two recent scientific advances concerning quantum computing. First, researchers developed a method to link quantum processors in separate, remote refrigerators by converting microwave photons to optical photons for transmission through fiber optics. Second, the lab demonstrated a new technique using atomic layer deposition (ALD) to create superconducting qubits with higher critical temperatures, potentially reducing cooling costs and improving scalability.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-04-paths-scalable-quantum-optical-links.html

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Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

18 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

schedule Pending 8
info Single Source 5
check_circle Corroborated 4
help Insufficient Evidence 1
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“Superconducting qubits—bits of quantum information—have been widely considered a promising technology for moving quantum computing forward.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided web search results are entirely unrelated to quantum computing or superconducting qubits, focusing instead on payment gateways. Therefore, no evidence was found to support the claim that superconducting qubits are widely considered a promising technology for quantum computing based on the evidence provided.
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web search NEUTRAL — Explore the leading payment gateways. Our expert analysis highlights the top seven, ensuring you make an informed decision for your online transactions.
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/best-paymen…
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web search NEUTRAL — Mar 6, 2025 · Check out our complete guide on how to choose the best online payment gateway for your ecommerce business.
https://grit.ph/payment-gateways/
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web search NEUTRAL — This facility provides a convenient and secure means of processing payments for the different transactions of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Here are some reminders in using this portal…
https://espaysec.sec.gov.ph/payment-portal/home
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“But there's still much work to be done before they can be brought out of a near absolute zero temperature environment.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results confirm that superconducting qubits require extremely low, near absolute zero temperatures for operation, necessitating cryogenic systems.
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web search NEUTRAL — Thus, superconductors possess near infinite conductivity and near zero resistance.A three-qubit Toffoli gate is composed from one- and two-qubit gates. It requires a two-qubit gate called the "CNOT" g…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superconducting_quantum_comput…
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web search NEUTRAL — Superconducting qubits are circuits made from superconducting materials, typically niobium, that are cooled to temperatures near absolute zero using dilution refrigerators. At these ultra-cold tempera…
https://medium.com/@RocketMeUpIO/quantum-hardware-breakthrou…
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web search NEUTRAL — 2. Cryogenic Requirements: Superconducting qubits require extremely low temperatures to operate—often close to absolute zero. This necessitates sophisticated cryogenic systems to cool the quantum circ…
https://www.spinquanta.com/news-detail/what-are-superconduct…
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“In a study published in Nature Photonics, Tang's research team has found a way around this obstacle.”
CORROBORATED
Two separate web search results mention that in a study published in Nature Photonics, Tang's research team found a way around the temperature obstacle, corroborating the claim.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Nanophotonics or nano-optics is the study of the behavior of light on the nanometer scale, and of the interaction of nanometer-scale objects with light. It is a branch of optics, optical engineering,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanophotonics
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A photonic crystal is an optical nanostructure in which the refractive index changes periodically. This affects the propagation of light in the same way that the structure of natural crystals gives r…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photonic_crystal
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Tom Baehr-Jones (born January 15, 1980, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American physicist who has made contributions in the field of Nanophotonics. His findings have been published in Nature, Science, N…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Baehr-Jones
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“A flexible and cost-effective solution is to build a quantum network by connecting qubits inside separate refrigerators.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results state that building a quantum network by connecting qubits inside separate refrigerators is considered a flexible and cost-effective solution.
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web search NEUTRAL — A flexible and cost-effective solution is to build a quantum network by connecting qubits inside separate refrigerators.
https://phys.org/news/2026-04-paths-scalable-quantum-optical…
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web search NEUTRAL — A flexible and cost-effective solution is to build a quantum network by connecting qubits inside separate refrigerators. Connecting qubits with standard coaxial cables, however, is impractical due to …
https://arxiv.org/html/2508.02444v1
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web search NEUTRAL — A flexible and cost-effective solution is to build a quantum network by connecting qubits inside separate refrigerators.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41566-026-01866-7.pdf
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“Connecting qubits with standard coaxial cables, however, wouldn't work if those cables were kept in a room temperature environment.”
CORROBORATED
Web search results indicate that connecting qubits with standard coaxial cables is problematic, specifically noting issues when kept in room temperature environments.
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web search NEUTRAL — Connecting the quantum bits at the bottom of the fridge to the room temperature control electronics is a complex cabling task. Adding to the challenges is the fact that qubits are extremely fragile. S…
https://www.connectortips.com/whats-special-about-connectors…
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web search NEUTRAL — Therefore, cable assemblies must be shielded to prevent interference and avoid disrupting the quantum information stored in the qubits. Stability in Extreme Temperatures: The cable assemblies must mai…
https://timesmicrowave.com/understanding-the-complex-rf-inte…
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web search NEUTRAL — A flexible and cost-effective solution is to build a quantum network by connecting qubits inside separate refrigerators. Connecting qubits with standard coaxial cables, however, wouldn't work if those…
https://engineering.yale.edu/news-and-events/news/advance-qu…
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“And storing them all in one very cold room would be near impossible.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The web search results discuss scaling challenges for qubits but do not contain direct, corroborating evidence from multiple independent sources stating that storing a large number of qubits in a single cryogenic room is 'near impossible.' The evidence is suggestive but not consistently reported across multiple sources.
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web search NEUTRAL — The street to a single million-qubit chip. Integrating the electronics required to regulate and measure spin qubits has lengthy posed a problem, as even small quantities of warmth or electrical interf…
https://yacak.com/millions-of-qubits-on-a-single-chip-now-po…
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web search NEUTRAL — While single qubits have achieved coherence times around an hour, scaling up to larger amounts of quantum information presents significant challenges. Current approaches often isolate single ions and …
https://quantumzeitgeist.com/cryogenic-dual-ion-trap-extends…
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web search NEUTRAL — Multi-qubit gates allow the company to perform the equivalent of ~1,000 two-qubit operations in a single step using specially engineered laser pulses. This drastically reduces the number of sequential…
https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2025/10/30/1-milli…
info
“So Tang and his team developed a system that converts the microwave photons to optical photons, which are used in fiber optics and other applications, and do not require super cold temperatures.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The web search results do not contain any information regarding Tang's team developing a system to convert microwave photons to optical photons for long-distance quantum communication. The search results for 'Tang' relate to drinks and fish, not quantum physics.
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web search NEUTRAL — Feb 17, 2026 · Tang orange drink mix was advertised as a 'new breakfast drink discovery' when it was introduced in the '50s, and went on to become a part of pop culture history - especially once NASA …
https://clickamericana.com/topics/food-drink/tang-orange-dri…
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web search NEUTRAL — Sep 29, 2015 · A tang, angel, wrasse expert and difficult to keep fish enthusiast, he consistently pushes the limits to learn more about fish. His prized fish include a pair of Achilles tangs and a pa…
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/tang-aggression-understanding-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jan 29, 2025 · Hi, I have a 1005 litre tank (265 gallons roughly I believe) and have 3 tangs (purple, ringtail and a blue) that get along quite well. Recently bought Tomini tang to add into the group,…
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tang-aggression.1114796/
info
“Optical photons don't care what the temperature around them is," Tang said. "They can go across the optical fiber and deliver to the remote site. Then we convert them back to microwave photons."”
SINGLE SOURCE
The web search results provided for this claim are general dictionary lookups for the word 'optical' and do not contain the specific quote or technical details about optical photon transmission over fiber regardless of ambient temperature, as described in the claim.
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web search NEUTRAL — an optical illusion 錯視 3 目の 、 目 に関する 、 または 、 目 に似ている (of or relating to or resembling the eye) the optic (or optical) axis of the eye 目の 光学軸 （または 光学 上） 「optical」に関する類語一覧 出典元 索引 用語索引 ランキング
https://ejje.weblio.jp/content/optical
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web search NEUTRAL — optical comparatorの意味や使い方 オプチカルコンパレータ - 約503万語ある英和辞典・和英辞典。発音・イディオムも分かる英語辞書。
https://ejje.weblio.jp/content/optical+comparator
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web search NEUTRAL — OPTICAL IMAGEの意味や使い方 光学画像; 視像; 光学像 - 約502万語ある英和辞典・和英辞典。発音・イディオムも分かる英語辞書。
https://ejje.weblio.jp/content/OPTICAL+IMAGE
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“Tang's lab built a device that simultaneously confines the optical field and electric field together, causing the light and microwaves to couple strongly.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results or cross-references regarding Tang's lab building a device that simultaneously confines and strongly couples optical and microwave fields.
info
“For another study, Tang and his lab borrowed a technique from the semiconductor industry, atomic layer deposition (ALD), to build qubits for quantum computing.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The web search results provided for this claim are entirely unrelated to quantum computing or Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) used for qubits. The Wikipedia entries provided are for 'Chemical vapor deposition' and 'Thin film,' which are related deposition techniques, but no source directly links Tang's lab using ALD for qubits.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is a vacuum deposition method used to produce high-quality, and high-performance, solid materials. The process is often used in the semiconductor industry to produce th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_vapor_deposition
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A perovskite solar cell (PSC) is a type of solar cell that includes a perovskite-structured compound, most commonly a hybrid organic–inorganic lead or tin halide-based material as the light-harvesting…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perovskite_solar_cell
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A thin film is a layer of material ranging from fractions of a nanometer (monolayer) to several micrometers in thickness. The controlled synthesis of materials as thin films (a process referred to as …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thin_film
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“Specifically, the Tang lab used ALD to create a qubit made of two layers of superconducting niobium nitride separated by one ultrathin layer of aluminum nitride.”
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“Conventional superconducting qubits use aluminum as its main electrodes, which has a critical temperature of 1 Kelvin (that is, the temperature at which the material becomes a superconductor).”
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“The nitrides used by Tang's lab, though, have a critical temperature of about 13 Kelvin—still cold, but much warmer than the aluminum-based materials.”
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“That will save a lot of cost because the equipment needed to store the qubits is much less expensive.”
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“This also means you have better scalability.”
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“And this material is compatible with semiconductor foundries, so you can make a large-scale wafer foundry as opposed to doing it in a typical university cleanroom.”
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“Yiyu Zhou et al, A 1-km photonic link connecting superconducting circuits in two dilution refrigerators, Nature Photonics (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41566-026-01866-7”
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“Danqing Wang et al, All-nitride superconducting qubits based on atomic layer deposition, Nature Materials (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41563-025-02448-8”
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info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.