Microsoft has long been working on an alternative that could cut down on the overhead by using components that are far more stable. These components, called Majorana quasiparticles, are not real particles. Instead, they are special patterns of behavior that may arise inside certain physical systems and under certain conditions.

Shares of quantum computing companies wavered on Thursday after jumping yesterday on renewed investor interest in the nascent technology.

The tech giant’s researchers say the advance could lead to vastly more powerful computers.