QUANTUM COMPUTING

The next generation of computer devices?

-By Anjneya Verma

What is a Quantum Computer?

Device made for massive complex data calculations. ore po!erful than supercomputers. Quantum computers maintain "u#its. Qu#its can #e a $% &% or #oth 'superposition(.

D-Waves Quantum Computer (Orion)

Advanta)es
Could process massive amounts of complex data. A#ility to solve scientific and commercial pro#lems. *rocess data in a much faster speed. Capa#ility to convey more accurate ans!ers.

+o! is it different from classical computer?

Quantum Computer'Q#its( A computer that uses "uantum mechanical phenomena to perform
operations on data throu)h devices such as superposition and entan)lement.

Classical Computer 'Binary( A computer that uses volta)es flo!in) throu)h circuits and )ates% !hich can
#e calculated entirely #y classical mechanics.

,he -eed .or /peed...

Classical Di)ital Computer oore0s 1a!2 3 of transistors on chip dou#les every &4 months5microprocessor circuits !ill
measure on atomic scale #y 6$6$-6$7$

Do!nscalin) of circuit #oard layout8components is leadin) to discrepancies. Copper traces are actually crystalli9in) and shortin) out: ;mer)ence of "uantum phenomena such as electrons tunnelin) throu)h the #arriers
#et!een !ires. /erial *rocessin) < one operation at a time

=>-#it classical computer operates speeds measured in )i)aflops '#illions of floatin)-point

operations per second(. Quantum Computer

+arnesses the po!er of atoms and molecules to perform memory and processin) tas?s *arallel *rocessin) < millions of operations at a time 7$-"u#it "uantum computer e"uals the processin) po!er
of conventional computer that runnin) at &$ teraflops 'trillions of floatin)-point operations per second(.

Classical vs Quantum Bits

Classical Bit 6 Basic states < off or on2 $% & utually exclusive Quantum Bit 'Qu#it( | 0 , |1 6 Basic states < ?et $% ?et &2 /uperposition of #oth states <
'not continuous in nature(

Pure Quibit State: = a | 0 + b |1 where a, b s.t. 1 = a +b

2 2

8 Possible States per Qubit

Quantum entan)lement 6 or more o#jects must #e descri#ed in reference to one another ;ntan)lement is a non-local property that allo!s a set of "u#its to
express superpositions of different #inary strin)s '$&$&$ and &&&&&% for example( simultaneously

Quantum Computin) *o!er

@nte)er .actori9ation @mpossi#le for di)ital computers to factor lar)e num#ers !hich are the
products of t!o primes of nearly e"ual si9e.'li?e AAAA: Will overflo!:::(.

Quantum Computer !ith 6n "u#its can factor num#ers !ith len)ths of n

#its '#inary(

Quantum Data#ase /earch ;xample2 .or instance% the time ta?en to search for a sin)le file the
searchin) al)orithm !ill ta?e2

Classical Computer < &$$ years Quantum Computer < D second

B 7%&C%7=%$$%$$$ seconds :::::

*ractical Quantum Computer Applications

Quantum echanics /imulations physics% chemistry% materials science% nanotechnolo)y% #iolo)y and medicine. Computer can compute millions of varia#les at once. All are limited today #y the slo! speed of "uantum mechanical simulations. ;ven &= cores of a intel processors ta?e 7-> days of very heavy simulations::: Cryptoanalysis Capa#le of crac?in) extremely complicated codes. E/A encryption ,ypically uses num#ers !ith over 6$$ di)its

Candidates for Quantum Computers

/uperconductor-#ased "uantum computers
'includin) /QF@D-#ased "uantum computers( @on trap-#ased "uantum computers G-uclear ma)netic resonance on molecules in solutionG-#ased HQuantum dot on surfaceG-#ased H1aser actin) on floatin) ions 'in vacuum(G-#ased '@on trappin)( GCavity "uantum electrodynamicsG 'CQ;D(-#ased olecular ma)net-#ased .ullerene-#ased ;/E "uantum computer /olid state - E Iane "uantum computer

Quantum Computin) *ro#lems

Current technolo)y J >$ Qu#it operatin) machine needed to rival current classical
e"uivalents'intel0s iC or iK processors( .

;rrors Decoherence - the tendency of a "uantum computer to decay from a )iven

"uantum state into an incoherent state as it interacts !ith the environment.

@nteractions are unavoida#le and induce #rea?do!n of information stored in

the "uantum computer resultin) in computation errors.

;rror rates are typically proportional to the ratio of operatin) time to

decoherence time

operations must #e completed much "uic?er than the decoherence time.