Researchers have achieved an important step forward in quantum computing by developing a device so small that it is almost 100 times thinner than a human hair.

The advance, reported in the journal Nature Communications, centers on a new type of optical phase modulator designed to precisely control lasers. This capability is critical for future quantum computers, which will rely on thousands or even millions of qubits—the basic units of quantum information—to perform complex calculations.

A key part of the achievement is how the devices are made. Instead of relying on specialized, hand-built components, the researchers used scalable manufacturing methods similar to those behind the processors found in computers, phones, vehicles, and home appliances—virtually everything powered by electricity (even toasters).

The work was led by Jake Freedman, an incoming PhD student in the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering at the University of Colorado at Boulder, alongside Matt Eichenfield, a professor and the Karl Gustafson Endowed Chair in Quantum Engineering. They collaborated with researchers from Sandia National Laboratories, including co-senior author Nils Otterstrom, to create a device that combines an extremely small footprint with strong performance while remaining affordable to produce at large scale.

The chip operates by generating microwave-frequency vibrations that oscillate billions of times per second, which are used to control laser light with exceptional accuracy.

By harnessing these rapid vibrations, the device can precisely adjust the phase of a laser beam and generate new laser frequencies with high stability and efficiency. These capabilities are considered essential for advancing quantum computing, as well as emerging applications in quantum sensing and quantum networking.