Caltech Breakthrough Brings Quantum Computers Closer to Reality

Theoretical discovery shows quantum computers could be built with just 10,000 qubits, significantly reducing the resources needed.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 2:06am

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Researchers from Caltech and Oratomic, a Caltech-linked startup, have developed a new approach for reducing errors in quantum computers. Their findings indicate that a fully realized quantum computer could be built with as few as 10,000 to 20,000 qubits, far fewer than the previously estimated millions. This breakthrough means quantum computers could become operational by the end of the decade, with the potential to impact fields like cryptography, scientific research, and more.

Why it matters

The ability to build quantum computers with significantly fewer qubits is a major step forward, as the resource requirements have long been seen as a major obstacle to realizing practical quantum computing. This development could accelerate the timeline for quantum computers becoming a reality, with implications for data security, scientific discovery, and technological innovation.

The details

The researchers propose a new quantum error-correction architecture that is much more efficient than previous approaches. Their work exploits the unique properties of quantum computing platforms built with neutral atoms, which can be dynamically rearranged using optical tweezers. This allows for a more efficient error-correction scheme that could reduce the number of physical qubits needed per logical qubit from around 1,000 down to just 5 or so.

  • The research results were published online in April 2026.
  • The team expects fault-tolerant quantum computers could be operational by the end of the current decade, much sooner than previous estimates of 10-20 years.

The players

Manuel Endres

A professor of physics at Caltech who has created the largest qubit array ever assembled, containing 6,100 trapped neutral atoms.

John Preskill

The Richard P. Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics and the Allen V. C. Davis and Lenabelle Davis Leadership Chair of the Institute for Quantum Information and Matter (IQIM) at Caltech.

Hsin-Yuan (Robert) Huang

An assistant professor of theoretical physics and a William H. Hurt Scholar at Caltech who is currently on leave while serving as CTO of Oratomic.

Dolev Bluvstein

A visiting associate in physics at Caltech and CEO of Oratomic.

Madelyn Cain

The lead theoretical scientist at Oratomic.

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What they’re saying

“We've spent years learning how to leverage this remarkable ability of neutral atom computers to rearrange qubits dynamically. Our results now make useful quantum computation with neutral atoms appear within reach by reducing qubit counts by up to two orders of magnitude.”

— Madelyn Cain, Lead Theoretical Scientist, Oratomic

“For decades, qubit count has been viewed as the main obstacle to fault-tolerant quantum computing. I hope our work helps shift that perspective.”

— Qian Xu, Sherman Fairchild Postdoctoral Fellow, Caltech

“I've been working on fault-tolerant quantum computing longer than some of my coauthors have been alive. Now at last we're getting close.”

— John Preskill, Richard P. Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, Caltech

What’s next

The next steps are to scale up the larger qubit arrays demonstrated by Endres and his team to even larger numbers while maintaining low error rates, which will require additional technological advances.

The takeaway

This breakthrough in quantum error correction could significantly accelerate the timeline for practical quantum computers, with major implications for fields like cryptography, scientific research, and technological innovation. However, it also underscores the importance of migrating to quantum-resistant encryption standards to protect against the potential security risks posed by advanced quantum computing.