Qubit decoherence remains the primary barrier to many practical quantum devices. This is why vacuum and cryogenic equipment scaling are key enablers to delivering useful quantum products and systems

Quantum computing research team. (Courtesy: Edwards Vacuum)

Building quantum technologies is the definition of finicky. And there is one primary reason: the fundamental unit of information is not a bit, but a qubit. Though qubits come in many guises – trapped ions, neutral atoms, superconducting circuits, particles of light, etc – they all share three quantum properties.

First, a qubit does not just represent a 1 or a 0, but can exist in a superposition of states, an uncertain blend of both until it collapses to a 0 or 1 when measured. Second, a qubit can be entangled with other qubits, meaning their physical states become entwined regardless of their distance from one another.…