Quantum computers could revolutionize the way we tackle problems that stump even the best classical computers.
Single atom transistor recently introduced has been seen as a tool that could lead the way to building a quantum computer. For general introduction how quantum computer work, read A tale of two qubits: how quantum computers work article.
D-Wave Announces Commercially Available Quantum Computer article tells that computing company D-Wave has announced that they’re selling a quantum computing system commercially, which they’re calling the D-Wave One. D-Wave system comes equipped with a 128-qubit processor that’s designed to perform discrete optimization operations. The processor uses quantum annealing to perform these operations.
D-Wave is advertisting a number of different applications for its quantum computing system, primarily in the field of artificial intelligence. According to the company, its system can handle virtually any AI application that can be translated to a Markov random field.
Learning to program the D-Wave One blog article tells that the processor in the D-Wave One – codenamed Rainier – is designed to perform a single mathematical operation called discrete optimization. It is a special purpose processor. When writing applications the D-Wave One is used only for the steps in your task that involve solving optimization problems. All the other parts of your code still run on your conventional systems of choice. Rainier solves optimization problems using quantum annealing (QA), which is a class of problem solving approaches that use quantum effects to help get better solutions, faster. Learning to program the D-Wave One is the first in a series of blog posts describing the algorithms we have run on D-Wave quantum computers, and how to use these to build interesting applications.
But is this the start of the quantum computers era? Maybe not. D-Wave Announces Commercially Available Quantum Computer article comments tell a story that this computer might not be the quantum computer you might be waiting for. It seem that the name “quantum computer” is a bit misleading for this product. There are serious controversies around the working and “quantumness” of the machine. D-Wave has been heavily criticized by some scientists in the quantum computing field. First sale for quantum computing article tells that uncertainty persists around how the impressive black monolith known as D-Wave One actually works. Computer scientists have long questioned whether D-Wave’s systems truly exploit quantum physics on their products.
Slashdot article D-Wave Announces Commercially Available Quantum Computer comments tell that this has the same central problem as before. D-Wave’s computers haven’t demonstrated that their commercial bits are entangled. There’s no way to really distinguish what they are doing from essentially classical simulated annealing. Recommended reading that is skeptical of D-Wave’s claims is much of what Scott Aaronson has wrote about them. See for example http://www.scottaaronson.com/blog/?p=639, http://www.scottaaronson.com/blog/?p=198 although interestingly after he visited D-Wave’s labs in person his views changed slightly and became slightly more sympathetic to them http://www.scottaaronson.com/blog/?p=954.
So it is hard to say if the “128 qubits” part is snake oil or for real. If the 128 “qubits” aren’t entangled at all, which means it is useless for any of the quantum algorithms that one generally thinks of. It seem that this device simply has 128 separate “qubits” that are queried individually, and is, essentially an augmented classical computer that gains a few minor advantages in some very specific algorithms (i.e. the quantum annealing algorithm) due to this qubit querying, but is otherwise indistinguishable from a really expensive classical computer for any other purpose. This has the same central problem as before: D-Wave’s computers haven’t demonstrated that their commercial bits are entangled.
Rather than constantly adding more qubits and issuing more hard-to-evaluate announcements, while leaving the scientific characterization of its devices in a state of limbo, why doesn’t D-Wave just focus all its efforts on demonstrating entanglement, or otherwise getting stronger evidence for a quantum role in the apparent speedup? There’s a reason why academic quantum computing groups focus on pushing down decoherence and demonstrating entanglement in 2, 3, or 4 qubits: because that way, at least you know that the qubits are qubits! Suppose D-Wave were marketing a classical, special-purpose, $10-million computer designed to perform simulated annealing, for 90-bit Ising spin glass problems with a certain fixed topology, somewhat better than an off-the-shelf computing cluster. Would there be even 5% of the public interest that there is now?
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Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft Azure reveals a key breakthrough toward scaling quantum computing
The new method calls for the use of an elusive physical property.
https://interestingengineering.com/microsoft-azure-breakthrough-quantum-computing
Tomi Engdahl says:
Quantum computing: Definition, facts & uses
By Mark Smith published 1 day ago
https://www.livescience.com/quantum-computing
Quantum computing is a new ultra-powerful era of computer technology.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Characterizing super-semi sandwiches for quantum computing
https://phys.org/news/2022-03-characterizing-super-semi-sandwiches-quantum.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Researchers store a quantum bit for a record-breaking 20 milliseconds
https://phys.org/news/2022-03-quantum-bit-fora-record-breaking-milliseconds.html
By managing to store a qubit in a crystal (a “memory”) for 20 milliseconds, a team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has set a world record and taken a major step towards the development of long-distance quantum telecommunications networks. This research can be found in the journal npj Quantum Information.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.analyticsinsight.net/what-to-expect-for-a-datacentre-or-cloud-in-quantum-computing/
Tomi Engdahl says:
No free lunch theorem in Quantum Computing
https://analyticsindiamag.com/no-free-lunch-theorem-in-quantum-computing/
In machine learning, the no-free lunch theorem suggests that all optimisation algorithms perform equally well when their performance is averaged over many problems and training data sets.
No-free lunches in quantum learning
The no free lunch theorem entails that a machine learning algorithm’s average performance is dependent on the amount of data it has.
“Industry-built quantum computers of modest size are now publicly accessible over the cloud. This raises the intriguing possibility of quantum-assisted machine learning, a paradigm that researchers suspect could be more powerful than traditional machine learning. Various architectures for quantum neural networks (QNNs) have been proposed and implemented. Some important results for quantum learning theory have already been obtained, particularly regarding the trainability and expressibility of QNNs for variational quantum algorithms. However, the scalability of QNNs (to scales that are classically inaccessible) remains an interesting open question,”
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://phys.org/news/2022-03-technique-quantum-resilient-noise-boosts.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Faster Technique for Resetting Qubits in Quantum Computers
https://scitechdaily.com/faster-technique-for-resetting-qubits-in-quantum-computers/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tiny magnets could hold the secret to new quantum computers
https://phys.org/news/2022-03-tiny-magnets-secret-quantum.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft Chooses Exotic “Topological Qubits” as Future of Quantum Computing
By Francisco Pires published 4 days ago
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/microsoft-chooses-exotic-topological-qubits-as-future-of-quantum-computing
Microsoft is taking the road less traveled, hoping it will make all the difference
Tomi Engdahl says:
4 Quantum Computing Companies Working With Silicon Technology
https://thequantuminsider.com/2022/03/19/4-quantum-computing-companies-working-with-silicon-technology/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Läpimurto: usean kubitin siruja tavallisella piikiekolla
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/13355-laepimurto-usean-kubitin-siruja-tavallisella-piikiekolla
Ranskalainen mikroelektroniikan tutkimuslaitos CEA on yhdessä C12 Quantum Electronics -nimisen startupin kanssa julkistanut kumppanuuden, jossa tavoitteena on valmistaa ensimmäiset monikubittiset kvanttikoneiden prosessoripiirit perinteisillä piikiekoilla CMOS-prosessissa.
200-millisten piikiekkojen kvanttisirujen valmistuksen läpimurron pohjalta C12 tavoittelee seuraavaa materiaaliharppausta kvanttilaskennassa. Hiilinanoputkien avulla rakennetaan kvanttibittejä tai kubitteja, jotka ovat kvanttitietokoneiden perusrakennuspalikoita.
Tomi Engdahl says:
CEA sees future in waferscale quantum computing chips
French research giant, C12 see challenges, but prototype slated for 2024
https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/24/oh_word_quantum_startup_says/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/quantum-computing-ecosystem-expands-in-all-directions/
Tomi Engdahl says:
New quantum dots for quantum networks
https://phys.org/news/2022-04-quantum-dots-networks.html
Scientists from The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research (SANKEN) at Osaka University, in collaboration with the Canadian National Research Council (NRC), developed a gallium arsenide (GaAs) quantum dot that can trap individual electrons. By controlling the crystallographic orientation of the substrate, the research team hopes to optimize the conversion of photons into spin-polarized electrons. This work may help make quantum networks more practical, especially for encrypting secure data.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Seeking space applications for quantum computers
https://spacenews.com/introducing-quantum-brilliance/
Tomi Engdahl says:
In race to build quantum computing hardware, silicon begins to shine
https://phys.org/news/2022-04-quantum-hardware-silicon.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Quantum Communication at Room Temperature New single-photon source a step toward more practical quantum networks
https://spectrum.ieee.org/quantum-communication?share_id=6992012
Tomi Engdahl says:
Pushing quantum performance forward with our highest Quantum Volume yet
IBM Quantum has once again doubled the Quantum Volume of our highest-performing processor, achieving a Quantum Volume of 256 on the Falcon r10.
https://research.ibm.com/blog/quantum-volume-256
Tomi Engdahl says:
Quantum computing ambition: Japan aims for 10m users by 2030
First homegrown machine to go online in a year under Tokyo’s strategy
https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/Quantum-computing-ambition-Japan-aims-for-10m-users-by-2030
Tomi Engdahl says:
First hybrid quantum bit based on topological insulators
https://phys.org/news/2022-04-hybrid-quantum-bit-based-topological.html
With their superior properties, topological qubits could help achieve a breakthrough in the development of a quantum computer designed for universal applications. So far, no one has yet succeeded in unambiguously demonstrating a quantum bit, or qubit for short, of this kind in a lab. However, scientists from Forschungszentrum Jülich have now gone some way to making this a reality. For the first time, they succeeded in integrating a topological insulator into a conventional superconducting qubit. Just in time for “World Quantum Day” on 14 April, their novel hybrid qubit made it to the cover of the latest issue of the journal Nano Letters.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Study highlights the possibility of building wave-shape-tolerant qubit gates
https://phys.org/news/2022-04-highlights-possibility-wave-shape-tolerant-qubit-gates.html
Quantum computers, machines that leverage quantum states to perform computations and store data, could soon revolutionize the computing industry, achieving significantly greater speeds and performance than existing computers. While countless companies worldwide, including Google and IBM as well as smaller start-ups, have started working on quantum technologies, the exact architecture that will lead to their mass production remains unclear.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Topological Phenomena Found at High Frequencies for 5G Communications and Quantum Information Processing
https://scitechdaily.com/topological-phenomena-found-at-high-frequencies-for-5g-communications-and-quantum-information-processing/
A collaborative new study led by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania demonstrates topological control capabilities in an acoustic system, with implications for applications such as 5G communications and quantum information processing.
New research published in Nature Electronics describes topological control capabilities in an integrated acoustic-electronic system at technologically relevant frequencies. This work paves the way for additional research on topological properties in devices that use high-frequency sound waves, with potential applications including 5G communications and quantum information processing. The study was led by Qicheng (Scott) Zhang, a postdoc in the lab of Charlie Johnson at the University of Pennsylvania, in collaboration with the group of Bo Zhen and colleagues from Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications and the University of Texas at Austin.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Engineering quantum states in solids using light
https://phys.org/news/2022-03-quantum-states-solids.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
The edge currents that don’t go with the flow: Scientists make peculiar quantum discovery
https://phys.org/news/2022-03-edge-currents-dont-scientists-peculiar.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Qubits made by advanced semiconductor manufacturing
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41928-022-00727-9
Tomi Engdahl says:
‘Momentum Computing’ Pushes Technology’s Thermodynamic Limits
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/momentum-computing-pushes-technologys-thermodynamic-limits/
Overheating is a major problem for today’s computers, but those of tomorrow might stay cool by circumventing a canonical boundary on information processing
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.analyticsinsight.net/10-difficult-problems-quantum-computers-can-solve-easily/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Scalable manufacturing processes for quantum computing
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41928-022-00738-6
Quantum computing has attracted attention owing to its potential to solve problems that are intractable with traditional computing technologies; however, a scalable scheme for producing millions of qubits remains elusive. A new effort demonstrates a milestone to achieving this by fabricating qubits in the same factory where state-of-the-art semiconductor chips are manufactured.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Quantum measurement splits information three ways
https://physicsworld.com/a/quantum-measurement-splits-information-three-ways/
A strange feature of quantum systems is that observing them inherently changes their quantum state. More precisely, the act of measurement redistributes the information contained in a quantum system. Now, physicists in South Korea have refined this idea further, experimentally demonstrating a three-way information split in quantum measurements. The result could have applications in understanding information flow during measurements and optimizing protocols for quantum information processing.
Theorists had previously shown that during measurement, information encoded in a quantum state becomes split between the measurer, the measured state, and information that can be recovered. The measurer’s information is known as extracted information, since this is the information they gain by measuring the system. The information left in the measured state is known as transmitted (undisturbed) information. Finally, there is some chance of recovering the system’s original quantum state by performing a reverse operation on the measured system. The maximum probability of restoring the state is known as the reversible information.
Tomi Engdahl says:
World Quantum Day: Meet our researchers and play The Qubit Game
https://blog.google/technology/research/world-quantum-day-meet-our-researchers-and-play-qubit-game/
As a quantum engineer, I know how confusing quantum computing can sound. Qubits? Entanglement? Magic state distillation? I also know how much potential quantum computing has to help solve big problems, ranging from helping us understand the world better by simulating quantum systems, to broad industrial applications like more efficient energy production or designing medicines to cure diseases and solve major public health issues. If we’re going to solve those problems, we’re going to need a lot more help.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Quantum approximate optimization algorithm can be implemented using Rydberg atoms
https://physicsworld.com/a/quantum-approximate-optimization-algorithm-can-be-implemented-using-rydberg-atoms/
Quantum computers are often discussed as a technology of the future, but many devices exist already. Because there is no consensus on a single, universal quantum computer design, however, determining the best use for each existing device can be daunting. Recently, researchers at the University of Innsbruck in Austria started to address part of that question by proposing a new way to implement a quantum optimization algorithm by using extremely cold atoms. Their theoretical work could point towards an efficient way of using the strengths of existing quantum computation devices to tackle practical problems in logistics, the energy sector and finance in the near future.
The Innsbruck work centres on the quantum approximate optimization algorithm (QAOA), which recasts optimization in terms of minimizing the energy of a physical system of atoms. For example, instead of trying to find the best way to balance the electric grid, physicists can tackle the equivalent issue of determining the lowest energy assumed by some system of atoms that all interact with each other. Here, the details of the original problem are encoded into specific interatomic interactions.
Controlling those interactions, often between atoms that are far away from each other, is the big experimental challenge for this approach
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://phys.org/news/2022-04-steampunk-quantum-physics.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tiny Magnets Could Hold the Secret to Miniaturizable Quantum Computers
https://scitechdaily.com/tiny-magnets-could-hold-the-secret-to-miniaturizable-quantum-computers/
Magnetic interactions could point to quantum devices.
From MRI machines to computer hard disk storage, magnetism has played a role in pivotal discoveries that reshape our society. In the new field of quantum computing, magnetic interactions could play a role in relaying quantum information.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Artificial neurons go quantum with photonic circuits
https://phys.org/news/2022-03-artificial-neurons-quantum-photonic-circuits.html
In recent years, artificial intelligence has become ubiquitous, with applications such as speech interpretation, image recognition, medical diagnosis, and many more. At the same time, quantum technology has been proven capable of computational power well beyond the reach of even the world’s largest supercomputer. Physicists at the University of Vienna have now demonstrated a new device, called the quantum memristor, which may allow us to combine these two worlds, unlocking unprecedented capabilities. The experiment, carried out in collaboration with the National Research Council (CNR) and the Politecnico di Milano in Italy, has been realized on an integrated quantum processor operating on single photons. The work is published in the current issue of the journal Nature Photonics.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Scientists Work To Turn Noise on Quantum Computers to Their Advantage
https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-work-to-turn-noise-on-quantum-computers-to-their-advantage/
Scientists simulate ‘fingerprint’ of noise on quantum computer. Unique study could point way to new approach, uses for quantum technology.
For humans, background noise is generally just a minor irritant. But for quantum computers, which are very sensitive, it can be a death knell for computations. And because “noise” for a quantum computer increases as the computer is tasked with more complex calculations, it can quickly become a major obstacle.
But because quantum computers could be so incredibly useful, researchers have been experimenting with ways to get around the noise problem. Typically, they try to measure the noise in order to correct for it, with mixed success.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Google’s Addicting New Game Lets You Build a Quantum Computer
https://www.reviewgeek.com/115246/googles-addicting-new-game-lets-you-build-a-quantum-computer/
In honor of World Quantum Day, which you probably didn’t celebrate, Google and Doublespeak Games just launched The Qubit Game. It’s an oddly addictive and deep browser game that lets you “build” a quantum computer, no quantum physics degree required.
The game centers around quantum bits, also called Qubits, which are a quantum computer’s version of binary. These small units of “quantum information” experience something called “superposition,” which is why a quantum computer can process complicated data at an unprecedented rate. Of course, the science doesn’t matter, because this is just a game.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://worldquantumday.org/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ancient Namibian stone could hold key to future quantum computers
https://phys.org/news/2022-04-ancient-namibian-stone-key-future.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Can a quantum computer break quantum cryptography?
https://quantumcomputing.stackexchange.com/questions/25952/can-a-quantum-computer-break-quantum-cryptography
Tomi Engdahl says:
Quantum Internet Breakthrough – Bell State Analyzer Presents Giant Leap Toward Fully Quantum Internet
https://scitechdaily.com/quantum-internet-breakthrough-bell-state-analyzer-presents-giant-leap-toward-fully-quantum-internet/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.analyticsinsight.net/how-can-quantum-computing-change-the-world/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Two teams use neutral atoms to create quantum circuits
https://phys.org/news/2022-04-teams-neutral-atoms-quantum-circuits.html
Scientists turn a hydrogen molecule into a quantum sensor
https://phys.org/news/2022-04-scientists-hydrogen-molecule-quantum-sensor.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
New hardware integrates mechanical devices into quantum tech
https://phys.org/news/2022-04-hardware-mechanical-devices-quantum-tech.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://phys.org/news/2022-04-chinese-team-distance-quantum.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Lasers trigger magnetism in atomically thin quantum materials
https://phys.org/news/2022-04-lasers-trigger-magnetism-atomically-thin.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
‘The Big Money Is Here’: The Arms Race to Quantum Computing
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/tech-news/.premium-the-big-money-is-here-the-arms-race-to-quantum-computing-1.10761657
A real quantum computer is still far off – but that doesn’t bother those engaged in the arms race to develop a quantum processor. Here are the Israelis banking on it
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2022/05/02/kvanttiprosessorin-valmistamiseen-35-miljoonaa-euroa/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/13498-eip-rahaa-kvanttiprosessorien-kehitykseen-espoossa
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://phys.org/news/2022-05-beyond-quantum-equivalence-principle-superposition-entanglement.html