Amazon Ocelot – a new processor for quantum computing

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has unveiled its first quantum processor, Ocelot, designed to reduce the cost of quantum error correction by 90%. It is based on so-called “cat qubits” that allow it to suppress certain types of errors. Unlike traditional approaches, AWS designed the processor with the need for built-in error correction in mind.

The chip consists of two 1 cm² multilayer silicon wafers that combine 14 key elements: 5 data qubits, 5 buffer circuits for stabilization, and 4 auxiliary qubits for error detection. One of the main problems with quantum computing remains its sensitivity to noise caused by vibrations, heat, and electromagnetic interference, which leads to a cascade of errors. To combat this, Ocelot uses superconducting tantalum thin-film oscillators that create stable electrical signals to maintain quantum states.

Amazon says the technology brings quantum computers closer to being able to solve problems that traditional systems can’t. Industry experts, however, say it’s a significant step forward, but not a revolutionary breakthrough, as superconducting qubits with protection against certain types of errors have already been used in other developments.