Engineers in Japan have switched on the world’s first hybrid quantum supercomputer. The 20-qubit quantum computer, called Reimei, has been integrated into Fugaku — the world’s sixth-fastest supercomputer. The hybrid platform will work to tackle calculations that can take classical supercomputers much longer to process. The machine, which is housed at the Riken scientific institute in Saitama, near Tokyo, will be used primarily for physics and chemistry research, representatives from Quantinuum, the makers of Reimei, and Riken said in a joint statement. Quantum computers could one day overtake classical computers, with the potential to complete calculations in minutes or seconds that would otherwise take today’s most powerful machines millions of years. However, until quantum computers are large and reliable enough, scientists say that integrating their capabilities into supercomputers can be a stopgap. Unlike most quantum computers that use superconducting qubits, Reimei uses trapped-ion qubits. This involves isolating charged atoms, or ions, in an electromagnetic field — known as an ion trap — and using lasers to precisely control their quantum state.

Full story : Japan’s Fugaku supercomputer has gained an edge following the installation of the Reimei quantum computer.