Hardware Overview

Quantum Hardware Platforms

Superconducting qubits, trapped ions, neutral atoms, and photonic systems — each makes different trade-offs. Start with the platform you want to understand.

Live

Superconducting

Transmon qubits

The most widely deployed qubit type, used by IBM, Google, and Rigetti. Fast gates, lithographic fabrication, and cryogenic operation.

Operating temp

~15 mK

Gate time

~10–100 ns

Connectivity

Nearest-neighbor

Key player

IBM / Google

Live

Trapped Ion

Atomic qubits

Individual ions suspended in electromagnetic traps. Highest gate fidelities, all-to-all connectivity, and long coherence times.

Coherence

~1–10 min

Gate time

~1–100 μs

Connectivity

All-to-all

Key player

IonQ / Quantinuum

Coming soon

Neutral Atom

Rydberg arrays

Atoms held in optical tweezers and entangled via Rydberg interactions. Highly reconfigurable and rapidly scaling.

Coherence

~1–10 s

Gate time

~1 μs

Connectivity

Reconfigurable

Key player

QuEra / Pasqal

Live

Photonic

Light-based qubits

Quantum information encoded in photons. Operates at room temperature and is naturally suited to networking.

Operating temp

Room temp

Gate time

~ps–ns

Connectivity

Networked

Key player

PsiQuantum

At a Glance

A quick comparison of the four main quantum hardware platforms.

Platform	Operating temperature	Typical gate time	Connectivity	Maturity
Superconducting	~15 mK	~10–100 ns	Nearest-neighbor	Mature
Trapped Ion	Ultra-high vacuum	~1–100 μs	All-to-all	Mature
Neutral Atom	Ultra-high vacuum	~1 μs	Reconfigurable	Emerging
Photonic	Room temperature	~ps–ns	Networked	Emerging

Introduction to Quantum Hardware

A short overview of how the leading quantum computing platforms work and what makes each one unique.

Quantum Computing Hardware Platforms

~10 min

An explainer covering superconducting qubits, trapped ions, neutral atoms, and photonic systems.

Want to go deeper?

Start with our deep dive on the transmon qubit — the dominant superconducting qubit architecture.

Explore transmon qubits

Hardware Overview

Quantum Hardware Platforms

Superconducting qubits, trapped ions, neutral atoms, and photonic systems — each makes different trade-offs. Start with the platform you want to understand.

Live

Superconducting

Transmon qubits

The most widely deployed qubit type, used by IBM, Google, and Rigetti. Fast gates, lithographic fabrication, and cryogenic operation.

Operating temp

~15 mK

Gate time

~10–100 ns

Connectivity

Nearest-neighbor

Key player

IBM / Google

Live

Trapped Ion

Atomic qubits

Individual ions suspended in electromagnetic traps. Highest gate fidelities, all-to-all connectivity, and long coherence times.

Coherence

~1–10 min

Gate time

~1–100 μs

Connectivity

All-to-all

Key player

IonQ / Quantinuum

Coming soon

Neutral Atom

Rydberg arrays

Atoms held in optical tweezers and entangled via Rydberg interactions. Highly reconfigurable and rapidly scaling.

Coherence

~1–10 s

Gate time

~1 μs

Connectivity

Reconfigurable

Key player

QuEra / Pasqal

Live

Photonic

Light-based qubits

Quantum information encoded in photons. Operates at room temperature and is naturally suited to networking.

Operating temp

Room temp

Gate time

~ps–ns

Connectivity

Networked

Key player

PsiQuantum

At a Glance

A quick comparison of the four main quantum hardware platforms.

Platform	Operating temperature	Typical gate time	Connectivity	Maturity
Superconducting	~15 mK	~10–100 ns	Nearest-neighbor	Mature
Trapped Ion	Ultra-high vacuum	~1–100 μs	All-to-all	Mature
Neutral Atom	Ultra-high vacuum	~1 μs	Reconfigurable	Emerging
Photonic	Room temperature	~ps–ns	Networked	Emerging

Introduction to Quantum Hardware

A short overview of how the leading quantum computing platforms work and what makes each one unique.

Quantum Computing Hardware Platforms

~10 min

An explainer covering superconducting qubits, trapped ions, neutral atoms, and photonic systems.

Want to go deeper?

Start with our deep dive on the transmon qubit — the dominant superconducting qubit architecture.

Explore transmon qubits