Essential quantum computer component downsized by two orders of magnitude

Qubits, or quantum bits, are the key building blocks at the heart of every quantum computer. In order to perform a computation, signals are directed to and from qubits. However, qubits are extremely sensitive to interference from their environment, and need to be shielded from outside signals, in particular from magnetic fields. It is a serious problem that the devices built to shield qubits from unwanted signals, known as nonreciprocal devices, produce magnetic fields themselves. Moreover, they are several centimeters in size, which is problematic, given that a large number of such elements is required in each quantum processor.