Quantum computing is the exciting future for computing process power. This technology is just in its infancy and incorporates mathematics, theoretical physics, and computer science. This new science has the potential to move computing power far beyond the limits of Moore’s Law, but advances in quantum computing will be seen as slow when compared to traditional computing advances. These slow advances have caused for some to doubt that quantum computing will deliver on the potential. The hardware needed for a quantum computer is developing, but beyond this, the software and application of a quantum computer are also still being developed. The paper will provide a brief but detailed introduction and history of the quantum computing but will focus on the current research and potential of the quantum computing discipline. The obstacles in building a quantum computer will also be discussed.
According to my research quantum computing is still in a relative infancy period. Both practical and theoretical studies continue, and many governments, as well as military funding agencies, have supported quantum computing surveys to further develop them for both civilian and national security reasons, such as code breaking. It has been discovered recently that the computers should be more accessible to build than previously thought. Working with quantum particles on such a minute scale can obviously be difficult, and it has been found that the computers can still function with a large number of faulty or missing ‘components.’ These parts are made of single atoms or electrons known as ‘qubits’ unlike conventional computers which store information in the form of bits (Reich, 2010). Researchers have found ways to correct specific errors that result from qubits being lost from the computer altogether. Just as humans can decipher certain communications that are missing keywords or words that are missing certain letters this line has been adapted to the development of the quantum computers. The remaining qubits contexts are run through an error correcting code which allows the missing information to be deciphered.
Some of the more interesting aspects of quantum computers are the actual components. Whereas conventional,all networks are based on transistors and information encoded into digits or ‘bits,’ each of which is either encoded as a 0 or 1. Quantum computers are using qubits (quantum bits) which are in superposition states as well states of entanglement. This means that the qubits can not only be in two places at the same time they can mimic each other in real time. The other knows precisely what its twin is doing. This quantum mechanics phenomenon allows the qubits to be in both states at the same time (Sup, run & Suprun, 2012). The equivalent of being both 0 and one simultaneously. This would allow the computers to calculate many more operations at one time. Quantum computers can be used to create a secure system. This will include a transmitter and receiver. The photons can be transmitted in one of four possible polarizations (0, 45, 90, or 135 degrees). The photon will be sent randomly in one of the polarization, and the receiver chooses either 0 or 90 (rectilinear) or 45 or 135 (diagonal) measurements.
Quantum computers are incredibly powerful machines that take a new approach to processing information. Built on the principles of quantum mechanics, they exploit complex and fascinating laws of nature that are always there, but usually remain hidden from view. By harnessing such natural behavior, quantum computing can run new types of algorithms to process information more holistically. They may one day lead to revolutionary breakthroughs in materials and drug discovery, the optimization of complex manmade systems, and artificial intelligence. We expect them to open doors that we once thought would remain locked indefinitely. Acquaint yourself with the strange and exciting world of quantum computing
Currently, quantum computers are using anywhere from two qubits of memory up to four qubits. That doesn’t seem like much, but we have to star,t somewhere. The most significant problem now is controlling quantum phenomena. Quantum particles can easily mix with other particles that are not supposed to be in the system and get entangled with them or react in ways that are not intended. Also, the creation of the particles requires enormous resources and system components. Much like the original computing machines took up many rooms to do small calculations, if the first one is built eventually and gradually they will reduce in size as well.
Claude Shannon discovered how to quantify information as binary bits – a “1” or “0” – which can represent any number, or combinations of logical operations. Many can attribute this to the start of the “information technology revolution” that has seen exponential growth with computing power, known as Moore’s Law. Moore’s Law states, the number of transistors on a microprocessor continues to double every eighteen months, the year 2020 or 2030 we will find the circuits on a microprocessor measured on an atomic scale. With Moore’s Law quickly approaching its physical limits, does this mean computing power will have reached its limit or can there be a different technology that will allow us to break through this barrier to achieve faster, more powerful and infinitely more efficient computing? The answer to continue this is quantum computing.
To break through Moore’s Law and continue to increase the computing power one of the next step could be to create a quantum computer. A quantum computer “exploits quantum mechanical interactions in order to function; this behavior, found in nature, possesses incredible potential to manipulate data in ways attainable by machines today” (Benenti, 2004). Basically a quantum computer will harness the power of the atoms and molecules to perform memory and processing tasks. Quantum computers have the potential to perform calculations significantly faster than any silicon-based computers.
The fundamental building block for the classical computer is the bit, which each bit can hold either a one or zero. Since quantum computers are devices that make use of quantum mechanical phenomena, such as superposition and entanglement, to perform operations on data, the fundamental building block can exist in more than the two distinct states. Quantum superposition is the simultaneous coexistence of often contrary states. A quantum binary digit (qubits),which represent atoms, photons or electrons, exists as a zero, a one or it can be in a coherent superposition of both states (simultaneously as both 0 and 1).
Quantum computers have been built possessing a few qubits, but before this technology is beneficial, a quantum computer must have hundreds or thousands of qubits. Putting a quantum computer together in principle is relatively straightforward, just start with quantum logic gates and connect them up into a quantum network (Nakahara & Tanaka, 2013). A quantum gate compares to a classical computer gate by performing a straightforward operation at a given time. The main difference is a quantum logic gate creates and performs operations on quantum superpositions. In principle this works quite well, however, in practice, quantum computers encounter errors when the number of quantum gates in a network increases. Researchers beyond overcoming the difficult task of working at the single-atom level, overcoming decoherence is a considerable challenge. A method must be discovered that prevents the surrounding environment from being affected by the interaction of the qubits in a quantum computer. The more quantum gates in a system, the higher the chances the information from the system will spread outside and be lost to the environment.
The realization of a large-scale quantum computer is being met with pessimism and optimism. Some feel decoherence cannot be reduced enough for a system to move beyond a few quantum operations. Others think the quantum computer will be a realization within years. These researchers believe this because theory shows no fundamental obstacle can prevent a quantum computer from being built (Hirvensalo, 2010). One approach to making a quantum computer is using superconducting circuits, which are continually seeing an improvement. It is thought the solid-state design will eventually become the standard due to the ease of scalability (Morsch, 2008). Beyond the attractiveness of the scalability of solid-state, the fabrication of the devices is another benefit of using superconducting circuits. The one downside to this technology is the behavior of solid-state to exhibit decoherence. The majority of the research for a solid-state qubit system has been to understand and overcome the obstacle of decoherence. An alternative method for constructing a quantum system is the trapped-ion quantum computer. Trapped ions and atoms only do not exhibit the decoherence rates found in solid-state systems. This technique appears to be the most promising technique for constructing a quantum computer shortly.
As with most research in quantum computing, the study has moved forward more obstacles are being encountered after every breakthrough. The trapped ion technology has seen problems with electrical noise coming from the electrodes that confine the ions. Currently, a method to suppress this noise uses liquid nitrogen to cool the electrodes (Byrnes, 2011). While the world of physics attempts to construct a quantum computer, other disciplines are developing ways to utilize the enormous computing power these systems promise and hopefully will deliver. Beyond the hardware is the issue of the software. The methods used to design the software must be completely rebuilt for the quantum computer because of the computation mechanism is entirely different from the classical computer (Olkiewicz et al., 2011). The languages, operating systems, and input/output system must be fundamentally changed by ultimately moving away from the current computer technology. A quantum computer may not outperform a classical computer at all tasks. The quantum computer must use an algorithm to demonstrate its speed and power in using quantum parallelism. One area that quantum computers will prove beneficial or troublesome (depending on perception) is cryptography. Quantum cryptography will have a function in protecting intellectual work as well as other areas that are obsessed with secrecy will also have interest in this technology (Fano & Blinder, 2017). These users will be government offices, banks, and business with eventual users being the military and governments on the high level. On the other side, some organizations in the world could use quantum cryptography for malicious activities, such as terrorist groups can communicate without the fear of others eavesdropping.
Even with the current breakthroughs in the field of quantum computing, some in the scientific community still feel that the science of quantum computation will remain theoretical and never see the promise it holds as being a real revolutionary innovation. (Blu?mel, 2010), indicates that the perfect quantum computer already exists – the living organism. A living organism has an astronomical number of parallel distributed quantum processes taking place simultaneously. He continues by providing the example of a protein folding into shape. The fastest classical computer will take about 300 years to simulate a small peptide of 23 amino-acids to fold into shape. The protein itself folds to perfection within several microseconds.
In conclusion, Quantum computing is still very much an emerging field that many feels hold great promise for change in the way computers can be used. Researchers are facing the challenges of developing new programming techniques for this new technology. These programming changes will include adjusting phases and mixing and diffusing amplitudes to provide output. A quantum computer is a technology that will remain in the general statement for several more decades due to the physical hardware needed to perform the complex computations that are promised by a quantum computer. Blu?mel remarks, that “if a quantum computer could be built, it would be radically uncontrollable, like any living organism. It may just give ‘forty-two’ as the answer to the meaning of life, the universe, and everything.” I certainly look forward to the day that we can utilize this mind altering technology and hope that I live to see the applications that can be realized with such computing power at our finger tips.
References
Blu?mel, R. (2010). Foundations of quantum mechanics: From photons to quantum computers. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Byrnes, X. (2011). Quantum computing. Delhi [India: English Press.
Fano, G., & Blinder, S. M. (2017). Twenty-first century quantum mechanics: Hilbert Space to quantum computers : mathematical methods and conceptual foundations.
Hirvensalo, M. (2010). Quantum computing. Berlin: Springer-Verlag.
Morsch, O. (2008). Quantum bits and quantum secrets: How quantum physics is revolutionizing codes and computers. Weinheim [Germany: Wiley-VCH.
Nakahara, M., & Tanaka, S. (2013). Lectures on quantum computing, thermodynamics and statistical physics. Singapore: World Scientific Pub.
Olkiewicz, R., & Winter School of Theoretical Physics. (2011). Quantum dynamics and information. Singapore: World Scientific.
Quantum Algorithms and Quantum-Inspired Algorithms. (2014). Chinese Journal of Computers, 36(9), 1835-1842. doi:10.3724/sp.j.1016.2013.01835
Quantum Computers and Superconducting Computers. (2012). Understanding the Nanotechnology Revolution, 151-161. doi:10.1002/9783527664863.ch13
QUANTUM COMPUTING AND NUMBER THEORY. (2012). Quantum Information and Quantum Computing. doi:10.1142/9789814425223_0005
Quantum Computing. (2010). Reversible Computing, 143-168. doi:10.1002/9783527633999.ch7
Reich, E. S. (2010). Quantum computers move a step closer. Nature, 467(7315), 513-513. doi:10.1038/467513a
Suprun, S. P., & Suprun, A. P. (2012). Computers: Classical, quantum and others. Saif Zone, Sharjah: Bentham Science.
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