Silicon Quantum Computing Achieves ‘Quantum Twins’ with 15,000 Qubit 2D Array on Pure Silicon

August 9, 2026

Falling Walls Science Summit Germany

Overview

Michelle Simmons’ Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC) demonstrated the world’s first 2D array quantum simulator with 15,000 precisely placed qubit registers on pure silicon. This breakthrough enables the creation of ‘Quantum Twins,’ custom chips that physically encode direct replicas of physical systems and chemical interactions clients wish to understand. This sets a new standard for quantum simulation technology, significantly accelerating its application in materials science and chemistry.

In Depth

Key Findings

Michelle Simmons, leading Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC), has demonstrated the world’s first 2D array quantum simulator, featuring 15,000 precisely placed qubit registers on a pure silicon substrate. This groundbreaking technology enables the creation of custom chips dubbed ‘Quantum Twins,’ which allow for the direct quantum-level imitation of physical systems and chemical interactions that clients wish to explore. This dramatically expands the accuracy and scope of quantum simulations.

Technical / Clinical Details

The quantum simulator developed by SQC maximizes the atomic-level precision and controllability inherent in a silicon substrate. Qubits are constructed by utilizing the spin of single electrons from phosphorus atoms embedded within the silicon crystal, and these qubits are precisely positioned at interatomic distances. The arrangement of as many as 15,000 qubits in a 2D array represents a significant advancement in terms of integration density. These ‘Quantum Twins’ are custom-designed to mimic specific physical systems or chemical reactions (e.g., electronic structures of complex molecules, properties of new materials) by customizing the interactions between qubits. In essence, the quantum chip itself functions as a ‘quantum replica’ of the physical phenomena under investigation. For example, a company seeking to understand how a new catalyst functions in a specific reaction can map the catalyst’s electronic structure and reaction sites onto a Quantum Twin, performing quantum-level simulations with details impossible for classical computers. This significantly reduces trial-and-error in the laboratory, accelerating the materials discovery process.

Background & Context

Quantum computing, particularly quantum simulation, is widely recognized for its potential to surpass the limitations of classical computers in fields such as materials science, chemistry, and drug discovery. Calculations of molecular electronic structures and predictions of solid-state material properties necessitate solving quantum mechanical problems, with computational costs increasing exponentially with system size. Traditional quantum simulators have primarily been limited to a small number of qubits, making practical applications to complex problems challenging. SQC’s demonstration of a 15,000-qubit 2D array breaks this scaling barrier, enabling the application of quantum simulation to more realistic and industrially significant problems.

Strategic Significance & Outlook

SQC’s ‘Quantum Twins’ technology holds the potential to revolutionize materials science and chemical research. This technology will enable companies and research institutions to accelerate groundbreaking discoveries in areas such as:

Design of high-performance materials like new battery materials, superconductors, and semiconductors.
Elucidation of complex catalytic reaction mechanisms and development of more efficient catalysts.
Design of innovative pharmaceutical molecules and prediction of drug-biomolecule interactions.
Optimization of processes like environmental pollutant degradation and CO2 capture.

‘Quantum Twins’ provide scientists with a powerful tool to directly ‘observe’ the quantum world and understand its complex behaviors. This is expected to dramatically shorten the materials discovery cycle, leading to the rapid emergence of new technologies that contribute to a sustainable society. Being silicon-based, it also has high compatibility with existing semiconductor manufacturing technologies, offering significant advantages in terms of future scalability and cost efficiency.

Source: https://falling-walls.com/breakthroughs/finalists-interviews/michelle-simmons

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