Microsoft has announced Majorana 1, a new quantum chip based on topological qubits. The company claims this breakthrough, the result of two decades of research, could lead to more powerful and reliable quantum computers. However, the scientific community remains cautious and sceptical.
A step forward in quantum computing?
On 20th February 2025, Microsoft claimed it had made significant progress in quantum computing by developing a new type of material called topoconductors. These materials are said to form a new state of matter, different from solids, liquids, or gases, allowing for the creation of topological qubits, which are smaller, faster, and more stable than existing quantum technologies.
Qubits are the building blocks of powerful quantum computers. Topological qubits, like the ones Microsoft is developing, store data in the overall structure of the system instead of in tiny individual parts. This makes them much more stable and less prone to errors. Because Microsoft's qubits are very small (just 1/100th of a millimetre), a lot more can fit onto a single chip - potentially up to a million. This is significant, as today’s quantum computers (like those from Google and IBM) need thousands of extra qubits to simply fix errors. Microsoft's approach could therefore make quantum computing much more practical and efficient.
Microsoft’s announced Majorana 1 chip combines qubits with control electronics in a device small enough to fit in one hand. It is designed to integrate into Microsoft Azure data centres, potentially making cloud-based quantum computing more accessible. However, Microsoft acknowledges that several years of development are still needed before this technology becomes practical on a large scale.
Scepticism from scientists
Although Microsoft’s research into topological qubits and Majorana 1 is supported by institutions such as DARPA (the Pentagon’s research agency) the scientific community remains unconvinced.
A paper published in Nature described how Microsoft’s scientists were able to create and measure topological qubits using indium aluminium arsenide to help generate Majorana particles. However, after peer review, it was suggested that the study itself does not provide clear proof that these particles are present. The peer review stated:
"The editorial team would like to emphasise that the results of this manuscript do not constitute evidence of the presence of Majorana qubits in the reported devices."
Other members of the scientific community have also voiced concerns about Microsoft’s lack of solid evidence. The Wall Street Journal quoted researchers who were disappointed with the claims, and Professor Daniel Loss, a theoretical physicist from the University of Basel, has been particularly critical. He warns that the published research in the Nature article should not be taken as evidence for the Majorana 1 chip, for which no scientific papers exist.
"Outside of Microsoft, the scientific community is very critical of these claims," says Professor Loss. He believes the claims seem unrealistic, and that the Nature article itself does not prove that Majorana particles are responsible for the observed effects. He concludes: "This work is not a breakthrough."