Quantum Advantage Coming Into View
Date
11/21/2023 5:18:03 AM
(MENAFN- Asia Times) Quantum advantage is the milestone the field of quantum computing is fervently working toward, where a quantum computer can solve problems that are beyond the reach of the most powerful non-quantum, or classical, computers.
Quantum refers to the scale of atoms and molecules where the laws of physics as we experience them break down and a different, counterintuitive set of laws apply. Quantum computers take advantage of these strange behaviors to solve problems.
There are some types of problems that are impractical for classical computers to solve , such as cracking state-of-the-art encryption algorithms. Research in recent decades has shown that quantum computers have the potential to solve some of these problems.
If a quantum computer can be built that actually does solve one of these problems, it will have demonstrated quantum advantage.
This frontier of scientific and technological innovation not only promises groundbreaking advances in computation but also represents a broader surge in quantum technology, including significant advancements in quantum cryptography and quantum sensing.
The source of quantum computing's power
Central to quantum computing is the quantum bit, or qubit . Unlike classical bits, which can only be in states of 0 or 1, a qubit can be in any state that is some combination of 0 and 1. This state of neither just 1 or just 0 is known as a quantum superposition . With every additional qubit, the number of states that can be represented by the qubits doubles.
IBM's quantum computer got President Joe Biden's attention. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
This property is often mistaken for the source of the power of quantum computing. Instead, it comes down to an intricate interplay of superposition, interference and entanglement .
Interference involves manipulating qubits so that their states combine constructively during computations to amplify correct solutions and destructively to suppress the wrong answers. Constructive interference is what happens when the peaks of two waves – like sound waves or ocean waves – combine to create a higher peak.
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