Quantum Hardware Basics
The main qubit platforms and the engineering trade-offs between them.
Intermediate7 min read
Quantum Hardware
What is quantum hardware?
Quantum hardware comprises the physical systems and control electronics that implement and manipulate qubits.
Superconducting circuits, trapped ions, neutral atoms, photons, and spins are the leading platforms.
Coherence time, gate fidelity, and connectivity describe a machine far better than qubit count alone.
Recommended learning sequence
- Quantum Hardware BasicsThe main qubit platforms and the engineering trade-offs between them.
Frequently asked questions
- Which quantum hardware platform is best?
- None has clearly won. Each platform trades coherence, speed, connectivity, and manufacturability differently.
Lessons in this topic
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