Two More Steps Toward Quantum Computing
The first solid state quantum processor, developed at Yale University, can perform simple algorithms. Blake Johnson/Yale University |
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Colorado unveiled a device that meets the basic criteria for a scaled-up quantum computer. It can store and display data, shuttle information around the processor, and perform repeated logic operations with a consistently low error rate. “We’ve pulled all the components together for the first time,” says Jonathan Home, a physicist at NIST who leads the project. His team accomplished the feat by pairing quantum bits—in this case, super-cold beryllium atoms used to store data—with magnesium atoms that act as refrigerants. (Even a little heat makes it difficult to control the atoms.) Lasers allowed the scientists to direct the computations performed by the atoms.
Meanwhile, a separate group headed by physicist Robert Schoelkopf at Yale University has built the first solid-state quantum processor. Unlike most quantum computing systems, the structure of this device resembles that of the integrated circuits in current computers, which could help bridge the gap between today’s technology and tomorrow’s.
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