PC to QC: The Next Personal Computer Might Be Quantum Computer
A quantum computer works on the quantum states of matter to perform processing and storage operations on data. It differs from classical computing algorithms in the way in which data is considered. Conventionally data is expressed as binary in the computing world: 0 and 1. By manipulating the voltage supplied to silicon chip to maintain its excitation status either at 0 or 1, it is possible to perform complex calculations and store terabytes of data with semiconductor atoms. But the quantum world out there is a crazy one in which a particle can exist at two distinct locations simultaneously. A tennis ball served from one end cannot split into two balls and simultaneously follow two distinct paths, but an electron can! That makes it possible to manipulate these subatomic particles to exist at 0 and 1 or any intermediate state at the same time.
So if it is possible to retain a particle simultaneously at 0 and 1 or intermediate states, multiple operations can be performed all along these intermediate states and can used as a medium to store large volume of data. This superposition of binary bits in quantum computing terminology is called as ‘qubit’. Qubits can be of atoms, electrons, photons and ions working to perform mathematical and storage operations in quantum world.
Parallelism and entanglement are two important concepts which are relevant exclusively for quantum computing. Parallelism refers to simultaneous performance of operations on qubits, which indicates very high processing speed and storage memory. But measuring a particular state of a particle at a particular instant is tricky. Supplying an external force to read a state disturbs it and makes the particle acquire a new state. So the concept of quantum entanglement is used to identify the current state. In quantum science two atoms can be made to entangle with each other by supplying a certain force, and the second entangled atom has the same properties as the first one. As an illustration, let us consider the case of a normal undisturbed atom rotating in any random direction. When it is entangled with another atom, the rotation changes and the second atom has exactly opposite direction as the first one. This aspect of Pauli’s exclusion principle serves our purpose in quantum computing. By supplying a source of entanglement with the qubits, they can be measured without directly contacting them.
Ions or atoms spatially suspended using electromagnetic fields are one important means of building a quantum computer. These trapped ions are used as qubits to hold information and transfer of this information is achieved through laser coupling. Performing logical operations on these qubits is done using quantum gates, similar to the concept of binary logic gates used in digital computing. While logic gates are operated by just varying voltages on a silicon chip, quantum gates require extensive laser interaction arrangements to flip the atomic states. There are some predefined quantum gate schemes for which laser is used to couple the internal qubit states to perform the desired operation. This works well for a small system with few qubits, but for a large working quantum computer, huge number of precisely aligned laser beams would be required to build the quantum gates.
Recently a team from University of Sussex, Imperial College London and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem developed a quantum computing system similar to a digital computing one: using electrical voltage instead of laser. In their paper “Trapped-Ion Quantum Logic with Global Radiation Fields”, they proposed a solution of applying controlled voltages to the gate zones where operations are to be done. Irrespective of the number of ions used in the computer, only a handful of global radiation fields are required for the number of gate zones employed. So building a multiple-qubits quantum computer is not far from reach.
Managing huge databases and retrieving required data becomes very simple through quantum computing. They can be used to unearth unknown phenomena in the quantum scale in science and engineering. But that doesn’t come without a cost. Our existing encryption networks work with apparently unbreakable algorithms as per present computing standards. With the abilities of quantum computers, applying brute force attack and cracking secret passwords would also become child’s play. So it is inevitable to rewrite the security algorithms to counter quantum threats, maybe again by using quantum algorithms.
D-Wave, a Canadian startup has already demonstrated capabilities of making practical quantum computing a reality. It uses a superconducting processor in tiny lattices at absolute zero temperature to obtain the needed quantum effects. Working with the objective to understand everything from universe to human DNA, they seek answers for problems unsolvable by the most sophisticated supercomputers. Sure we are stepping into the next computing era where our PCs might become QCs one day.
I’ve heard they are doing a lot of work in this field and when they perfect it, computers will work at “light speed” compared to what they do now!
I know I should understand more, but so far it’s too complex, I get that quantum physics are crazy (but works) that’s why it’s too hard to get the Quantum PCs already, but once it’s done our lives will change for a lot!
No matter how many times I read it, I can’t totally figure out how does it work 😛
I guess for the time we have something like this AR will be pretty amazing and another thing will give us the bottleneck problem, like infoxication
I wonder how many qbits are optimal for common tasks – like haveing more than 4 or so cores doesn’t seem to be worth it today.
I’ve always wondered how quantum computers would work. This was an exemplary explanation that gave me a picture without making it so complicated a laymen like myself would not understand. I feel I can actually picture the various ways quantum computers would become a reality.
Isso e incrivelmente fantástico. ..
enjoyed reading it but don’t fully understand it
The possibilities for simulations could be endless! With quantum computers, we could solve so many problems, like diseases in a matter of months, weeks or even days! I’m all for it! My head feels like it’s going to explode after trying to wrap it around this, but I do understand what the video said about running simulations and the benefit the speed gives the computers. I love to hear about new stuff like this! It’s absolutely amazing how humans can now make use of this technology!
it will happen sooner than you think.
I GET MY 8 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER TO SHOW ME HOW
see this is to much for did’nt know I Left the same comment before turn 60
turning 60 start doing the same things over and over again
Amazing technology
Awesome what the computers of today will transform into in the future.
Very interesting article. I learned a lot from it.
Awesome
This is a great article to read. Thanks for writing it.
I agree with this article. It is saying a lot. Very well written.
Great article, I learned a lot from it.
Amazing
Quantum computers will be able to crack all the encryptions and passwords of non-quantum computers so we’ll all be sitting ducks soon! EEK!
super
A little difficult to understand but the outcome of perfecting these types of computers is exciting. Imagine how much faster computer will get and the ease to get tasks done.
I am anxious to see this Quantum computer in front of me.