Dutch Quantum Computing Hub in Delft Achieves New Qubit Stability Record
Researchers at QuTech, the quantum computing institute based at TU Delft, have achieved a new world record for qubit stability, sustaining quantum coherence for over 10 milliseconds at room temperature. The breakthrough, published in Nature Physics on July 10, 2026, represents a significant step toward practical quantum computers that do not require extreme cryogenic cooling.
The team, led by Professor Lieven Vandersypen, used a novel diamond-based nitrogen-vacancy centre architecture that protects quantum information from environmental noise far more effectively than previous designs. “Ten milliseconds might sound short,” Vandersypen explained, “but in quantum computing terms, it is an eternity. It opens the door to error correction protocols that were previously only theoretical.”
Most quantum computers today operate at temperatures near absolute zero (-273°C), requiring massive and expensive dilution refrigerators. The TU Delft achievement at room temperature could dramatically reduce the cost and complexity of quantum systems, potentially accelerating the timeline for commercially viable quantum computing.
The Netherlands has invested heavily in quantum technology through the Quantum Delta NL programme, a €615 million national initiative launched in 2021. QuTech, a collaboration between TU Delft and TNO, is the programme’s flagship research centre and has produced several world-first results in quantum computing and quantum internet technologies.
Industry reaction has been enthusiastic. “This is the kind of breakthrough that changes roadmaps,” said Dr. Helena Müller, head of quantum research at ASML. “Room-temperature operation was always considered a distant goal. QuTech just brought it significantly closer.”
The researchers caution that practical room-temperature quantum computers are still years away. The current demonstration involves only a handful of qubits, and scaling to the hundreds or thousands needed for useful computation presents substantial engineering challenges. Nevertheless, the advance addresses one of the fundamental barriers that has constrained quantum computing since its inception.
QuTech’s next milestone is to demonstrate a two-qubit gate with the same room-temperature stability — a critical step toward building a functional quantum processor that could one day operate on a desktop rather than in a multi-million-euro cryogenic facility.
