China reaches mass production of key isotope in quantum computing, Beijing says
The country is pushing for self-reliance in important industries amid competition with the US over advanced technology fabrication
State-owned nuclear giant China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) said on Monday that one of its research institutes had successfully mass-produced a high-purity silicon-28 isotope with an isotopic abundance above 99.99 per cent. The achievement marked China’s first independent, large-scale production of the material, it said.
The breakthrough helps plug a long-standing gap in China’s quantum technology supply chain. Previously, production capabilities for the silicon-28 isotope were concentrated among a small group of overseas players in Russia, Europe and US-linked supply chains.
However, qubits are notoriously fragile. In natural silicon, magnetic interference – or “noise” – distorts the qubits, causing them to lose their quantum state and drop data.
In contrast, silicon-28 is a stable isotope. By purifying this variant, scientists can create an “ultra-quiet” environment, allowing qubits to remain stable for longer periods, which is vital for building functioning quantum computers.