Sou Hu Cai Jing·2025-10-03 06:08Core Viewpoint - The ongoing controversy surrounding the elusive Majorana particles, which were once hoped to be pivotal in building robust quantum chips, has been reignited by a correction issued by Science regarding a 2020 paper sponsored by Microsoft, which claimed the successful fabrication of Majorana particles in nanowires [1][3][4]. Group 1: Research and Findings - The correction from Science followed a university investigation that found no scientific misconduct, although it did not quell the ongoing disputes between the authors and critics who demand the paper's retraction due to alleged data selection issues [4][6]. - Microsoft has invested over $1 billion in this field, and the announcement of its Majorana-based quantum processing chip in February 2025 faced skepticism from independent experts and strong criticism from detractors [4][5]. - The theoretical framework of quantum bits (qubits) allows them to exist in a superposition of states, which could potentially surpass classical computing in areas like cryptography and advanced chemical simulations [3][5]. Group 2: Technical Challenges - The fragility of qubits means that even minor disturbances can collapse their carefully constructed superposition states, prompting institutions like Microsoft to develop topological qubits that can resist local noise interference [5][6]. - The challenge remains in proving the existence of Majorana qubits, as researchers seek specific quantized signals in the electrical conductance of materials, but inherent material complexities may obscure these signals [5][6]. Group 3: Ongoing Research and Developments - The Microsoft team continues to advance their research, with the Majorana 1 chip announced in February 2025 utilizing indium arsenide wafers instead of nanowires, aiming to generate multiple Majorana particles to form qubits [6][7]. - The team claims to have developed a detection scheme to differentiate between genuine Majorana signals and spurious ones, although skepticism persists regarding the foundational physical effects necessary for constructing qubits [7].