Operating and Characterizing of a 72 Superconducting Qubit Processor “Bristlecone”: Part 1

Quantum computing has recently entered a new regime where a number of quantum processors with tens of qubits are being built and operated around the world. With approximately 50 qubits and high performance, it is possible to outperform classical computers in limited cases, a feat known as “Quantum Supremacy.” However, achieving supremacy requires high-fidelity operations in all aspects of the algorithm, including single-qubit gates, two-qubit gates, and readout. While these milestones have been achieved in small scale devices, challenges in calibration, precision control, and reproducibility are amplified at scale. In this talk, we will discuss the 72 qubit “Bristlecone” processor we have been developing at Google, and our work towards calibrating, operating, and characterizing this device. Part 1 of 2.