For quantum computers to function, they must be kept at extremely low temperatures. However, today’s cooling systems also generate noise that interferes with the fragile quantum information they are meant to protect. Now, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have developed an entirely new type of quantum refrigerator, which is partly driven by the noise itself. This refrigerator enables very precise control over heat and energy flows and could play an important role in scaling up quantum technology.
Quantum technology is expected to transform multiple fundamental technologies in society, with applications ranging from drug development and artificial intelligence to logistics and secure communication. Yet, before quantum technology can be put to practical use, various major technical challenges remain. One of the most critical is protecting and controlling the delicate quantum states upon which this technology relies.
For a quantum computer based on superconducting circuits to operate, it must be cooled to extremely low temperatures, close to absolute zero (around – 273 °C). At these temperatures, the system becomes superconducting and electrons can move freely without resistance. Only under these conditions can the desired quantum states emerge in the fundamental information units of a quantum computer, qubits.
