Microsoft Intro's Quantum computing chip Majorana 1

Microsoft recently announced their major Quantum computing initiative called Majorana 1.

The name Majorana comes from named after the Majorana quasiparticle which was first theorized in 1937.  Their overall goal is to have 1 million Qubits in your hand all via one chip. This effort is not new in fact its 20-years old.  Microsoft had a tough road getting here. In 2018, Microsoft researchers published a paper on Majoranas which ended up retracted. While some researchers doubted the elusive Majorana quasiparticles could ever be harnessed into qubits at all. But Microsoft continued with the research, and, in 2022, was finally able to demonstrate the existence of Majorana zero nodes.

Microsoft develops new topological state

The chip came about by using a new matter state (so it not liquid, solid or gas), Microsoft designed and fabricated this new topological state atom by atom. Leading to a breakthrough required developing a new material made of aluminum and indium arsenide. Microsoft stated this also known as a topological qubit.  The 1 million mile marker is the goal to allow proper scaling without hitting bottlenecks and allows it to scale faster than competition. Currently Microsoft’s single Majorana qubit is far behind what other quantum companies have in place. Example IBM is already at 156-qubits chips.

Microsoft believes Quantum computing is years away

Not decades like many classic computing experts tout, Microsoft believes the 1M Qubit computer will unlock the world's most difficult problems. Additionally, Microsoft has updated their Quantum roadmap pushing fault tolerance and scalable QEC. 

Summary

Sounds very ambitious creating a new state atom by atom. What happens IF the atoms shift position? Wonder if this has the attention of anyone over at the US DoD?