Focus: Quantum Information Not Lost in Translation

Researchers propose a way to transfer quantum information between ions and electronic circuits, opening up new options for quantum computation.

Physicists hoping to make an ultrapowerful quantum computer still haven’t settled on which quantum system to build it out of. In Physical Review Letters, a team proposes a way to faithfully transfer quantum information back and forth between two of the candidates—a single trapped ion and a superconducting circuit. If the scheme works out, it could allow researchers to explore hybrid technologies that combine the strengths of these two different quantum entities.