Chinese scientists at the University of Science and Technology of China have made a breakthrough in the field of quantum error correction (QEC) based on superconducting quantum circuits, contributing to the development of quantum computing.
Using the 107-qubit Zuchongzhi 3.2 processor, which can achieve a high-fidelity readout with an error rate of only 0.95 percent within around 300 nanoseconds, the scientist team has successfully implemented an all-microwave leakage suppression architecture on a distance-7 surface code, achieving a significant decrease in the logical error rate by effectively suppressing the leakage of quantum information as the surface code distance increases.
The experimental result also proves that the system is operating below the error correction threshold, and has successfully improved accuracy with corrective measures.
"Just like when many people come to vote, only when each person's judgment is accurate can the vote cast be accurate; otherwise, as the number of voters increases, the vote cast become even less accurate. Therefore, only when the accuracy of each person's vote exceeds a certain threshold can the team's advantage be brought into play. In other words, as the number of qubits increases, the more error corrections are performed, the more accurate the result become," Zhu Xiaobo, a professor with the University of Science and Technology of China, explained.
Achieving "below-threshold" quantum error correction is a long-sought core goal in the global quantum computing field and one of the key milestones to verify whether quantum computing systems can move from prototypes to practical applications. The new technique also provides a more advantageous solution for building million-qubit quantum computers in the future.
Chinese scientists achieve breakthrough in quantum error correction
The Republic of Korea (ROK)'s consumer price inflation eased in July, breaking a multi-month accelerating trend amid stabilizing energy prices and lower farm goods prices, statistical ministry data showed Tuesday.
The consumer price index (CPI) rose 2.8 percent in July from a year earlier, falling below 3.0 percent in three months, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics.
It marked a noticeable deceleration from 3.2 percent in June, after accelerating from 2.0 percent in February to 2.2 percent in March, 2.6 percent in April and 3.1 percent in May.
Headline inflation, however, stayed above the central bank's mid-term inflation target of 2 percent for 11 straight months since September 2025.
The Bank of Korea raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 2.75 percent in July, turning toward monetary tightening in about three and a half years since January 2023.
Oil products price gained 15.5 percent last month, after spiking 24.7 percent in the previous month. The price lifted overall inflation by 0.60 percentage points.
Price for gasoline and diesel jumped 12.6 percent and 21.5 percent each, while computer price shot up 25.1 percent amid soaring semiconductor price. Price for industrial products, including oil products and processed food, advanced 3.7 percent in July compared to the same month last year, slower than an expansion of 4.4 percent in the previous month.
Processed food price added 1.0 percent in July from a year earlier, faster than a growth of 0.9 percent in the previous month.
Price for agricultural, livestock and fishery products climbed 0.9 percent in July from a year earlier, after picking up 3.2 percent in June.
Agricultural products price slipped 2.2 percent last month, turning downward from an increase of 1.1 percent in the prior month. Those for livestock and fishery products swelled 4.4 percent and 3.9 percent each.
Rice price mounted 7.9 percent, but those for napa cabbage, watermelon, spinach, cucumber and zucchini retreated in double figures. Those for beef, imported beef, pork, egg and mackerel increased in single digits.
Price for electricity, natural gas and tap water was up 0.4 percent in July on a yearly basis.
City gas charge and waterworks fee added in single digits, but heating cost dipped 0.2 percent.
Services price surged 2.6 percent last month, hiking up the headline inflation by 1.46 percentage points.
Public service price rose 1.4 percent, while private service price, including eating-out costs, expanded 3.5 percent.
The eating-out expense gained 2.6 percent, and the private service price excluding the dining-out cost jumped 4.1 percent.
Affected by a spike in fuel surcharges from rising oil prices, international airfares soared 21.7 percent last month.
Housing rent, including Jeonse and monthly rent, was up 1.1 percent in July from a year earlier.
Jeonse is the country's unique contract between two households where a landlord grants two-year residential rights to a tenant, who in turn lends a certain amount of money, or a deposit, to the landlord.
The livelihood items index, which gauges prices for daily necessities, climbed 2.5 percent, while the fresh food index, which measures prices for fish, shellfish, fruit and vegetables, declined 2.3 percent.
Demand-side inflationary pressure lingered. Core consumer price index, which excludes volatile agricultural and oil products, appreciated 2.5 percent last month.
The OECD-method core price, excluding volatile food and energy costs, went up 2.6 percent in the cited month.
ROK's consumer price inflation eases to 2.8 pct in July
