MatriQ | Large-Scale Programmable Atom Array Rearrangement and Atom Transport in Partitioned Architecture

Recently, our team at MatriQ completed a demonstration of key capabilities for a scalable neutral-atom quantum computing system: large-scale programmable atom rearrangement, and atom transport based on a “memory–entanglement” zoning architecture.

The former aims to turn randomly loaded atoms into an ordered, defect-free atom array through rearrangement, demonstrating the system’s ability to build large-scale quantum processors; the latter aims to dynamically reconfigure the storage zone (Storage Zone) and the entanglement zone (Entanglement Zone) within a single system, providing the underlying transport capability for error correction, logical operations and fault-tolerant quantum computing (FTQC).

Demo 1: Large-Scale Programmable Atom Array Rearrangement

Background

In neutral-atom quantum computing, atoms are trapped by optical tweezer arrays. However, because of the collision-blockade mechanism, atom loading into a single optical tweezer is stochastic, so the initially loaded atom array usually contains defects. Before quantum simulation, quantum gate operations or logical qubit preparation can actually be carried out, the system must rearrange the randomly loaded atoms into the target configuration. In other words, what matters more than the number of atoms initially trapped is the capability for atom rearrangement.

What Our Team Did

For this large-scale atom rearrangement demonstration, our team selected two representative array configurations already used in subsequent state preparation, single-qubit gate and two-qubit gate experiments. In the experiment, the system first identifies the atom distribution after random loading, then moves atoms to target positions along programmable transport paths, ultimately producing a defect-free target array. This result demonstrates the ability of the system built by our team to prepare high-quality, large-scale atom arrays under real operating conditions — a key step from random loading toward a programmable quantum processor, and a foundation for more complex analog quantum simulation, digital quantum computing, logical qubit preparation and error correction workflows.

Atom array before / after rearrangement

Demo 2: Atom Transport Based on the “Memory–Entanglement” Zoning Architecture

Background

As neutral-atom quantum computing systems continue to scale, the system architecture must also evolve from a static array in a single region toward a zoned architecture containing different functional regions. In such an architecture, different atom arrays can take on different tasks, such as storage regions for long-term preservation of quantum information and interaction regions for entanglement operations. Therefore, in addition to preparing large-scale defect-free atom arrays, our team has also realized programmable atom transport based on the “memory–entanglement” zoning architecture.

What Our Team Did

For this demonstration we adopted a surface-code-like geometry, showing a large-scale storage array and an Entanglement Zone working together dynamically within the same system. By dynamically moving ancilla atom arrays, our system can move different atom blocks to specific functional regions, providing the underlying transport capability for error correction, logical operations and fault-tolerant quantum computing (FTQC).

The figure below shows a zoning architecture for neutral-atom quantum computing realized by our team: the upper part is the large-scale storage array, used to hold and arrange the qubit array; the lower part is the entanglement zone, used to perform local two-qubit entanglement operations. By separating the memory and entanglement functions in space, the system can selectively transfer target atoms from the storage zone to the entanglement zone, complete local interactions within a controlled region, and then return them to the storage zone or continue into subsequent operations. This zoning design helps reduce crosstalk affecting non-target qubits and improves the scalability of qubit rearrangement, local gate operations and error correction workflows; it is also among the most advanced approaches in the field internationally today.

A zoning architecture for neutral-atom quantum computing: a large-scale storage array in the upper part and an entanglement zone in the lower part

The video below shows the dynamic transport of movable ancilla atom arrays between the storage zone and the entanglement operation zone, demonstrating a surface-code-compatible transport primitive. In the follow-up series, our team will further demonstrate the corresponding complete quantum error correction (QEC) cycle.

Video: dynamic transport of movable ancilla atom arrays

Summary

From a system architecture perspective, the results demonstrated by our team reflect two very critical directions in scaling up neutral-atom quantum processors. First, the system must be able to stably prepare quantum processors with high filling rates and few defects on the basis of large-scale random loading. Second, the system must be able to dynamically reconfigure atom arrays with different functions during computation, so that they can switch between storage and entangling functional regions. The former corresponds to scalable quantum processor preparation, the latter to programmable atom transport and reconfiguration. Together, they form the important foundation for moving from large-scale physical qubit arrays to logical qubit operations and fault-tolerant quantum computing.

Join Us / Contact Us

MatriQ is bringing together visionary and creative scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs from around the world to build the future of quantum computing together. We sincerely invite like-minded partners to join us — with the power of atoms, define the next era of computing.

Contact: contact@matriqcomputing.com