Microsoft has introduced Majorana 1, the world’s first quantum chip powered by a groundbreaking Topological Core architecture. This innovation is expected to accelerate the realization of quantum computers capable of solving meaningful, industry-scale problems in years rather than decades.
The Majorana 1 chip leverages the first-ever topoconductor, a revolutionary material that enables the observation and control of Majorana particles. This advancement leads to the creation of more reliable and scalable qubits, which serve as the fundamental building blocks of quantum computing.
Similar to how the invention of semiconductors paved the way for modern smartphones, computers, and electronics, topoconductors provide a path toward scalable quantum systems. Microsoft envisions these systems reaching a million qubits, capable of tackling complex industrial and societal challenges.
“We stepped back and asked ourselves, ‘What would the transistor for the quantum age look like? What properties must it have?’” said Chetan Nayak, Microsoft Technical Fellow. “That thinking led us to develop this new materials stack, enabling a novel kind of qubit and an entirely new architecture.”
The Majorana 1 processor’s architecture provides a clear trajectory toward integrating a million qubits onto a single chip compact enough to fit in the palm of a hand. This milestone is crucial for quantum computers to deliver transformative real-world solutions, such as breaking down microplastics into harmless byproducts or developing self-healing materials for construction, manufacturing, and healthcare. Even the combined power of all the world’s classical computers cannot match the potential of a one-million-qubit quantum machine.
“If your approach to quantum computing lacks a path to a million qubits, you’ll hit a wall before reaching the scale necessary to solve meaningful problems,” Nayak stated. “We have mapped out a path to get there.”
A topoconductor, or topological superconductor, represents a unique category of materials capable of forming a completely new state of matter—distinct from solids, liquids, or gases. This property enables the creation of a more stable qubit that is fast, compact, and digitally controllable, eliminating the trade-offs required by current quantum computing methods. A newly published paper in Nature details how Microsoft researchers successfully created these exotic quantum properties and measured them accurately—an essential step toward practical quantum computing.
This breakthrough involved developing an entirely new materials stack, incorporating indium arsenide and aluminum, with much of the structure designed and fabricated atom by atom. The goal was to generate new quantum particles called Majoranas and harness their properties to push the boundaries of quantum computing.
The world’s first Topological Core, which powers the Majorana 1 chip, is inherently reliable, incorporating hardware-level error resistance to enhance stability.
For quantum computing to reach commercial viability, systems must perform trillions of operations on a million qubits—a challenge that conventional approaches, relying on fine-tuned analog control, struggle to meet. Microsoft’s novel measurement approach enables qubits to be digitally controlled, revolutionizing and simplifying quantum computing operations.
This progress validates Microsoft’s decision to invest in topological qubit development years ago—a high-risk, high-reward scientific and engineering endeavor that is now yielding results. Currently, the company has integrated eight topological qubits onto a chip designed for scaling up to a million.
“From the beginning, our goal was to build a quantum computer for commercial impact, not just for theoretical research,” said Matthias Troyer, Microsoft Technical Fellow. “We knew we needed a new kind of qubit and a way to scale.”
This commitment attracted the attention of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which explores breakthrough technologies with national security implications. Microsoft is now one of only two companies invited to advance to the final phase of DARPA’s Underexplored Systems for Utility-Scale Quantum Computing (US2QC) program—part of the agency’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative aimed at delivering the industry’s first utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer.
A New Paradigm in Computing
In addition to developing its own quantum hardware, Microsoft has partnered with Quantinuum and Atom Computing to achieve scientific and engineering breakthroughs in quantum computing. This includes last year’s announcement of the industry’s first reliable quantum computer.
These advancements present significant opportunities for businesses and researchers to develop quantum expertise, build hybrid applications, and drive discoveries—especially as artificial intelligence (AI) integrates with new quantum systems powered by increasingly reliable qubits. Through Azure Quantum, Microsoft offers a suite of integrated solutions that enable customers to harness leading AI, high-performance computing, and quantum platforms to advance scientific innovation.
Reaching the next frontier of quantum computing requires an architecture capable of scaling beyond a million qubits and executing trillions of reliable operations. With the Majorana 1 announcement, Microsoft asserts that such a breakthrough is now within years, not decades.
Million-qubit quantum machines will leverage quantum mechanics to model nature with unprecedented precision—from chemical reactions to molecular interactions and enzyme behaviors. This capability will unlock solutions to problems beyond the reach of classical computing.
For example, quantum computers could address the persistent challenge of material corrosion and cracking, potentially leading to the creation of self-healing materials for bridges, aircraft, phone screens, and vehicle coatings.
The versatility of quantum computing could also revolutionize environmental efforts. Currently, no universal catalyst exists to break down plastics into non-toxic compounds—an essential solution for addressing microplastic pollution and carbon emissions. Quantum calculations could identify such catalysts, transforming pollutants into valuable byproducts or pioneering eco-friendly alternatives.
Similarly, quantum computing could enhance the effectiveness of enzymes—biological catalysts crucial to healthcare and agriculture. With precise quantum-driven insights, scientists could boost soil fertility, increase crop yields, and develop sustainable food sources even in harsh climates, contributing to global food security.
Beyond material science and environmental impact, quantum computing could revolutionize engineering and product design. AI-driven quantum systems could allow companies to input their desired material or molecular structure in plain language and receive an optimized, ready-to-use solution—eliminating years of costly experimentation.
“Any company that manufactures anything could design it perfectly the first time,” Troyer explained. “The quantum computer teaches AI the language of nature, so AI can simply provide the formula for whatever you need to create.”
Redefining Quantum Computing at Scale
Quantum mechanics governs the quantum world, operating under principles vastly different from classical physics. In this domain, quantum bits (qubits) replace the binary bits of conventional computing.
Qubits are inherently delicate, prone to environmental disturbances that cause information loss. Moreover, measuring a qubit’s state can inadvertently disrupt it—posing a fundamental challenge in quantum computation.
Qubits can be created using various methods, each with strengths and weaknesses. Nearly two decades ago, Microsoft embarked on a unique path: developing topological qubits, believed to offer superior stability and reduced error correction needs. This approach required overcoming formidable scientific and engineering hurdles, yet promised scalable, controllable qubits for commercially viable quantum computing.
Until recently, the Majorana particles essential to this approach had never been observed. These exotic particles do not exist naturally and must be induced through magnetic fields and superconductors. The complexity of fabricating the necessary materials has led most quantum researchers to explore alternative qubit designs.
Now, Microsoft’s peer-reviewed research in Nature confirms the successful creation and precise measurement of Majorana particles—validating their potential for quantum computing. These particles protect quantum information from external interference, making computation more robust while enabling a novel, highly accurate measurement technique.
By integrating its topological qubit into a compact quantum chip, Microsoft has developed a scalable quantum system small enough to fit within Azure datacenters, paving the way for practical quantum deployment at an unprecedented scale.
“It’s one thing to discover a new state of matter,” Nayak remarked. “It’s another to harness it for scalable quantum computing.”