Link: https://www.science.org/content/article/helium-3-runs-scarce-researchers-seek-new-ways-chill-quantum-computers

Chasing absolute zero

Dilution refrigerators are roughly human-size plumbing systems that use rare helium-3 (He-3) to chill tiers of copper plates to millikelvins (mK), near absolute zero. These temperatures are required for sensitive technologies, such as the chips that power quantum computers.

Wait wait is this diagram saying a quantum computer looks like a star wars stalactite all because of the cooling? Thats like all cooling?

At the end of the day I think it is a design optimized for the same basic principle as this complex of straight pipes in a steam locomotive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hszu80NJ438 4:37

Yup. The actual calculation part is just the small "quantum chip" in the bottom segment. The rest is stages and stages of cooling to keep that tiny chip rediculously close to 0 Kelvin.

When your devices are cooling-critical, you have to be critical on cooling.