MilestoneHardwareDisputed
Microsoft's Majorana 2 chip reports 20-second parity lifetimes
Jun 2, 2026
On June 2, 2026, Microsoft unveiled Majorana 2, a chip for its topological qubit approach that swaps aluminum for lead. Microsoft says this stretched parity lifetimes, a key measure of how stable these qubits are, from milliseconds to about 20 seconds, and it now expects a scalable quantum computer by 2029.
Why it matters
Topological qubits are meant to resist errors by design, which could make large machines easier to build. Microsoft's earlier claims were contested, so Majorana 2 is a key test of whether the approach is advancing.
The results are in a preprint that has not been peer reviewed. Physicist Henry Legg of the University of St Andrews told Science News that nothing in the data proves the existence of a topological qubit or Majoranas; the article notes the paper reports only one of the two measurement types needed to show a qubit.
Chetan Nayak · Microsoft
Sources (4)
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Microsoft Quantum (Chetan Nayak)
Majorana 2 – Microsoft's Scalable Quantum Processor With Reliable, Long-Lasting Qubits
“The new material stack, which swaps aluminum for lead, creates highly reliable topological qubits with operations on the microsecond scale and lifetimes with a mean of 20 seconds, occasionally exceeding one minute.”
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arXiv (Microsoft Quantum)
20 Second Parity Lifetime in an InAs–Pb Tetron Device
“By replacing aluminum with the higher-gap superconductor lead in our superconductor-semiconductor hybrid devices, we have improved the robustness of our topological phase.”
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The Quantum Insider
Microsoft Reports Advances in Majorana 2 Following Debate Over Last Year's Topological Claims
“Microsoft reported that its Majorana 2 processor achieved topological qubit lifetimes exceeding 20 seconds, more than 1,000 times longer than earlier devices, supporting its goal of building a scalable quantum computer by 2029.”
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Science News
Microsoft's quantum chip got an upgrade. Critics are still skeptical
““Nothing in the presented data proves the existence of a topological qubit or Majoranas in these devices,” Legg says.”
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