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The University of Tokyo (UTokyo) and IBM have announced a major upgrade to UTokyo´s IBM Quantum System One, implementing the latest 156-qubit IBM Heron quantum processing unit (QPU). The Heron QPU, engineered with tunable-coupler architecture, will serve the Quantum Innovation Initiative (QII) Consortium and marks a significant leap in the system´s computational capabilities compared to previous generations.
This deployment is the second upgrade in the collaborative quantum computing project between UTokyo and IBM. The Quantum System One at UTokyo originally launched with the 27-qubit IBM Falcon QPU, then transitioned to the 127-qubit IBM Eagle QPU in 2023. The upcoming Heron QPU installment continues this trajectory of rapid innovation, enabling advanced research and experimentation for Japanese and international members of the QII Consortium.
The Heron generation introduces notable enhancements over its predecessor, the Eagle QPU. These include a 3-4x reduction in two-qubit error rates and a tenfold improvement in device-wide performance as measured across 100-qubit layers. Operational efficiency has also improved, with system uptime exceeding 95% and an expected 60% increase in Circuit Layer Operations Per Second (CLOPS). The new processor´s design supports robust utility-level workloads, as demonstrated in multiple studies that leveraged its ability to conduct over 5,000 gate operations, further solidifying its role in accelerating quantum and Artificial Intelligence research for UTokyo´s Miyabi supercomputer and the broader scientific community.
