One step closer to quantum computers: 'Dressed' qubit can retain data 10 TIMES longer than before

Building a quantum computer has been called the'space race of the 21st century' – a difficult and ambitious challenge, with the potential to deliver revolutionary tools. Now an invention by engineers in Australia may have brought us one step closer to achieving the goal. The team designed a new kind of quantum bit, which can retain information for 10 times longer than ever previously achieved. The new quantum bit, known as a'dressed qubit' has been designed by researchers at the University of New South Wales, and is made up of the spin of a single atom in silicon, merged with an electromagnetic field (artist's impression) Quantum computing takes advantage of the ability of subatomic particles to exist in more than one state at any time. In traditional computers, data is expressed in one of two states – known as binary bits – which are either a 1 or a 0. But quantum computers use quantum bits, or qubits.