This week brought three major technical revelations across quantum computing. Rigetti announced a 99.5 percent two-qubit gate fidelity on its 36‑qubit modular superconducting chip. QuEra achieved magic state distillation on logical qubits for the first time. Boston University unveiled a compact “quantum light factory” chip produced via standard CMOS processes. These milestones mark critical steps toward scalable, error-corrected and commercially viable quantum systems. (TS2 Tech; Live Science; Tom’s Hardware)
Rigetti Hits Fidelity Gold Standard
Rigetti Computing achieved 99.5 percent two-qubit gate fidelity on its new 36-qubit modular superconducting chip composed of four 9-qubit chiplets. This performance doubles the error-rate reduction over its previous 84-qubit design and sets a new benchmark critical for error correction and logical operations. The system is expected to launch August 15, with a >100-qubit model slated for later in 2025. (TS2 Tech)
QuEra Demonstrates Magic State Distillation on Logical Qubits
QuEra researchers reported the first successful magic state distillation process executed on logical qubits—crucial for implementing non-Clifford quantum gates in fault-tolerant systems. Using Gemini neutral-atom hardware, they distilled five imperfect states into one high-fidelity output. This breakthrough moves the field from theoretical feasibility toward operational utility. (Live Science)
Boston U.’s Photonic Chip Enables Scalable Quantum Integration
Boston University, collaborating with UC Berkeley and Northwestern, revealed a “quantum light factory” on a 1 mm² silicon chip using 45 nm CMOS manufacturing. This chip integrates photonics, electronics, and quantum hardware, offering self-stabilization and real-time tuning. The design supports mass-scale production and could accelerate quantum communication and sensor deployment. (Tom’s Hardware)
Why These Matter Now
High-fidelity gates are essential for scalable quantum systems. Magic state distillation enables universal quantum computation. CMOS-based quantum chips represent a bridge between emerging quantum technologies and mainstream semiconductor manufacturing. Together, they signal that practical quantum computing may finally be within reach. (Live Science)
Sources: TS2 Tech (Rigetti fidelity), Live Science (magic state distillation), Tom’s Hardware (quantum light factory)
