“Neglectons”: particles that could be the key to the future of quantum computers?

Article excerpt:

*Quantum computers, which harness the peculiarities of quantum physics for gains in speed and computing ability over classical machines, may one day revolutionize technology. For now, though, that dream is out of reach.*

*One reason is that qubits, the building blocks of quantum computers, are unstable and can easily be disturbed by environmental noise. In theory, a sturdier option exists: topological qubits spread information out over a wider area than regular qubits.*

*Yet in practice, they’ve been difficult to realize. […] Lauda and his colleagues solve some of the problems with topological qubits by using a class of theoretical particles they call neglectons, named for how they were derived from overlooked theoretical math. These particles could open a new pathway toward experimentally realizing universal topological quantum computers.*