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Best quantum 'transistor' yet could lead to more accurate computers

Microwaves can control a single quantum bit more precisely than ever before, creating a device similar to a quantum transistor – and potentially making quantum computers more reliable

By Karmela Padavic-Callaghan

2 June 2025

The ion-trap chip used to test a single qubit

Dr Jochen Wolf and Dr Tom Harty

A new record has been set for extremely precise control over qubits, the building blocks of quantum computers. This advance could lead to quantum computers that make fewer errors – if it can be replicated at a larger scale.

To manipulate or encode information into a qubit, a quantum computer can use a set-up called a single-qubit gate to change the quantum bit’s state, similar to the way one or more transistors manipulate a…

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