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QubitWire

2026 SELECTION

QubitWire 100

100 people recognized for contributions to quantum computing. Unranked and alphabetical by surname.

About the selection

An unranked collection. Browse by surname or start with an idea.

Browse by topic
Filter this list by topicError correctionNeutral atomsQuantum networksAlgorithmsFoundations
Explain these topics
Error correction
Methods that protect encoded quantum information by detecting and correcting certain errors.
Neutral atoms
A hardware approach that stores quantum information in electrically neutral atoms.
Quantum networks
Links that distribute quantum information or entanglement between locations.
Algorithms & complexity
How quantum calculations work and what resources they require.
Foundations
The concepts and physical principles that quantum information builds on.

The 2026 selection2 of 100 people

About foundations
Foundations
The concepts and physical principles that quantum information builds on.

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K

1 person

Alexei Kitaev

Kitaev developed foundational approaches to protecting quantum information, including computation with anyons and the oscillator encoding now known as the Gottesman–Kitaev–Preskill code.

California Institute of Technology

Ronald and Maxine Linde Professor of Theoretical Physics and Mathematics, Caltech

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Why included? 3 sources

Kitaev’s work changes how quantum information can be represented and protected. His anyon construction connects fault-tolerant operations to the structure of a two-dimensional quantum system. With Gottesman and Preskill, he also showed how a discrete logical qubit could be embedded in a continuous-variable oscillator and protected against small shifts. These ideas provide architectural building blocks across different hardware programs. They are theoretical constructions whose physical realization requires additional experimental control and error-management work.

Error correctionFoundations
3 linked sources · 2 research sources

Documented work base: United States

Identification checked Explore the contributions and sources

N

1 person

Chetan Nayak

Connects the theory of non-Abelian particles and topological quantum computation with Microsoft’s long-term quantum-hardware program, pursuing ways to encode information with protection built into the physical system.

Microsoft

Technical Fellow and Corporate Vice President of Quantum Hardware

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Why included? 2 sources

Nayak’s inclusion rests on a documented theoretical contribution and a clearly identified hardware leadership role. His coauthored review connects non-Abelian statistics, braiding and fault-tolerant computation, providing a framework for evaluating proposed topological machines. At Microsoft he leads efforts to translate that approach into hardware. The distinction between a theoretical architecture and a demonstrated, scalable processor is essential here. This profile does not treat company announcements about Majorana devices as independent confirmation that universal topological quantum computation has been achieved.

Error correctionQuantum hardware
2 linked sources

Documented work base: United States

Identification checked Explore the contributions and sources
About these checks

Linked sources support selected statements in each profile. Research sources include papers and preprints. A source count is not a ranking or a quality score.

The identification check date relates to the recorded professional description. Individual sources have their own check dates. The fixed 2026 selection stays separate from later profile corrections.

THE EDITORIAL VIEW

Why these people.
Why this field.

Quantum computing is shaped by more than headline breakthroughs. Progress also depends on the people who establish its limits, make its systems more reliable and turn difficult ideas into tools others can use.

The QubitWire 100 recognizes contributions across that work. Each profile explains what is being recognized and connects the account to its supporting evidence.

View the permanent 2026 record