Sandia National Laboratories and Quantinuum publish performance metrics for the 98-qubit Helios quantum computer, emphasizing reliability and advanced capabilities.
On June 17, Sandia National Laboratories collaborated with Quantinuum to publish a peer-reviewed study detailing the performance of their 98-qubit quantum computer, Helios.
The research highlighted impressive fidelity rates, with single-qubit operations achieving an average of 99.9975% and two-qubit operations at 99.921%. In addition, Helios was evaluated using random Clifford circuits and showcased performance in the random circuit sampling (RCS) benchmark that surpassed classical simulation capabilities.
Helios is a commercial quantum processor utilizing barium ions and is constructed on a QCCD architecture that allows full connectivity between qubits, enabling any qubit to connect with any other.
Sandia National Laboratories played a critical role in validating Helios's performance metrics through various benchmarking approaches, including a unique method for mid-circuit measurements, which are vital for quantum error correction.
"The most important aspect of modern quantum computers is not speed, but reliability," remarked Robin Blum-Kohout from Sandia.
He emphasized that errors could stem from various issues, such as laser misalignment or atomic movement, and that verifying system components is crucial for advancing fault-tolerant quantum computing.
This collaboration between Sandia and Quantinuum has been in place for four years under a research and development agreement that was recently extended through May 2026.
Helios was introduced to the market in November 2025 and is accessible via cloud services or local deployment, with initial users including firms like Amgen, BMW Group, JPMorgan Chase, and SoftBank Corp.
Furthermore, it is noteworthy that Horizon Quantum, based in Singapore, launched the first commercially available quantum computer in December 2025.
