Category Archives: Quantum Computing
Quantum computing event explores the implications for business – Cambridge Network
A free, one-day 'Executive Track' on the issue - part of an international workshop on quantum-safe cryptography - takes place on Wednesday 13 September at the Westminster Conference Centre, London. It focuses on the implications for businesses and highlights developments underway to address them.
Government cyber-security agencies (UK, US, Canada) and experts from universities and industry (including Amazon, BT, Cisco and Microsoft) will present and discuss the issues and potential solutions to this fundamental technological development that threatens catastrophic damage to Government, industry and commerce alike.
Find out more and book your place at this free event here
The Executive Track on13 Septemberis designed for business leaders and will outline the state of the quantum threat and its mitigation for a C-level audience including CEOs, CTOs and CISOs.
Attendees will learn how quantum computers are poised to disrupt the current security landscape, how government and industry organisations are approaching this threat, and the emerging solutions to help organisations protect their cyber systems and assets, now and into the future of quantum computing.
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Quantum computing event explores the implications for business - Cambridge Network
Quantum Computing Is Coming at Us Fast, So Here’s Everything You Need to Know – ScienceAlert
In early July, Google announced that it will expand its commercially available cloud computing services to include quantum computing. A similar service has been available from IBM since May. These aren't services most regular people will have a lot of reason to use yet.
But making quantum computers more accessible will help government, academic and corporate research groups around the world continue their study of the capabilities of quantum computing.
Understanding how these systems work requires exploring a different area of physics than most people are familiar with.
From everyday experience we are familiar with what physicists call "classical mechanics," which governs most of the world we can see with our own eyes, such as what happens when a car hits a building, what path a ball takes when it's thrown and why it's hard to drag a cooler across a sandy beach.
Quantum mechanics, however, describes the subatomic realm the behaviour of protons, electrons and photons. The laws of quantum mechanics are very different from those of classical mechanics and can lead to some unexpected and counterintuitive results, such as the idea that an object can have negative mass.
Physicists around the world in government, academic and corporate research groups continue to explore real-world deployments of technologies based on quantum mechanics. And computer scientists, including me, are looking to understand how these technologies can be used to advance computing and cryptography.
A brief introduction to quantum physics
In our regular lives, we are used to things existing in a well-defined state: A light bulb is either on or off, for example.
But in the quantum world, objects can exist in a what is called a superposition of states: A hypothetical atomic-level light bulb could simultaneously be both on and off. This strange feature has important ramifications for computing.
The smallest unit of information in classical mechanics and, therefore, classical computers is the bit, which can hold a value of either 0 or 1, but never both at the same time. As a result, each bit can hold just one piece of information.
Such bits, which can be represented as electrical impulses, changes in magnetic fields, or even a physical on-off switch, form the basis for all calculation, storage and communication in today's computers and information networks.
Qubits quantum bits are the quantum equivalent of classical bits.
One fundamental difference is that, due to superposition, qubits can simultaneously hold values of both 0 and 1. Physical realisations of qubits must inherently be at an atomic scale: for example, in the spin of an electron or the polarisation of a photon.
Computing with qubits
Another difference is that classical bits can be operated on independently of each other: Flipping a bit in one location has no effect on bits in other locations. Qubits, however, can be set up using a quantum-mechanical property called entanglement so that they are dependent on each other even when they are far apart.
This means that operations performed on one qubit by a quantum computer can affect multiple other qubits simultaneously. This property akin to, but not the same as, parallel processing can make quantum computation much faster than in classical systems.
Large-scale quantum computers that is, quantum computers with hundreds of qubits do not yet exist, and are challenging to build because they require operations and measurements to be done on a atomic scale.
IBM's quantum computer, for example, currently has 16 qubits, and Google is promising a 49-qubit quantum computer which would be an astounding advance by the end of the year.
(In contrast, laptops currently have multiple gigabytes of RAM, with a gigabyte being eight billion classical bits.)
A powerful tool
Notwithstanding the difficulty of building working quantum computers, theorists continue to explore their potential. In 1994, Peter Shor showed that quantum computers could quickly solve the complicated math problems that underlie all commonly used public-key cryptography systems, like the ones that provide secure connections for web browsers.
A large-scale quantum computer would completely compromise the security of the internet as we know it. Cryptographers are actively exploring new public-key approaches that would be 'quantum-resistant',at least as far as they currently know.
Interestingly, the laws of quantum mechanics can also be used to design cryptosystems that are, in some senses, more secure than their classical analogs. For example, quantum key distribution allows two parties to share a secret no eavesdropper can recover using either classical or quantum computers.
Those systems and others based on quantum computers may become useful in the future, either widely or in more niche applications. But a key challenge is getting them working in the real world, and over large distances.
Jonathan Katz, Director, Maryland Cybersecurity Center; Professor of Computer Science, University of Maryland.
This article was originally published by The Conversation. Read the original article.
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Quantum Computing Is Coming at Us Fast, So Here's Everything You Need to Know - ScienceAlert
How quantum mechanics can change computing – San Francisco … – San Francisco Chronicle
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)
Jonathan Katz, University of Maryland
(THE CONVERSATION) In early July, Google announced that it will expand its commercially available cloud computing services to include quantum computing. A similar service has been available from IBM since May. These arent services most regular people will have a lot of reason to use yet. But making quantum computers more accessible will help government, academic and corporate research groups around the world continue their study of the capabilities of quantum computing.
Understanding how these systems work requires exploring a different area of physics than most people are familiar with. From everyday experience we are familiar with what physicists call classical mechanics, which governs most of the world we can see with our own eyes, such as what happens when a car hits a building, what path a ball takes when its thrown and why its hard to drag a cooler across a sandy beach.
Quantum mechanics, however, describes the subatomic realm the behavior of protons, electrons and photons. The laws of quantum mechanics are very different from those of classical mechanics and can lead to some unexpected and counterintuitive results, such as the idea that an object can have negative mass.
Physicists around the world in government, academic and corporate research groups continue to explore real-world deployments of technologies based on quantum mechanics. And computer scientists, including me, are looking to understand how these technologies can be used to advance computing and cryptography.
In our regular lives, we are used to things existing in a well-defined state: A light bulb is either on or off, for example. But in the quantum world, objects can exist in a what is called a superposition of states: A hypothetical atomic-level light bulb could simultaneously be both on and off. This strange feature has important ramifications for computing.
The smallest unit of information in classical mechanics and, therefore, classical computers is the bit, which can hold a value of either 0 or 1, but never both at the same time. As a result, each bit can hold just one piece of information. Such bits, which can be represented as electrical impulses, changes in magnetic fields, or even a physical on-off switch, form the basis for all calculation, storage and communication in todays computers and information networks.
Qubits quantum bits are the quantum equivalent of classical bits. One fundamental difference is that, due to superposition, qubits can simultaneously hold values of both 0 and 1. Physical realizations of qubits must inherently be at an atomic scale: for example, in the spin of an electron or the polarization of a photon.
Another difference is that classical bits can be operated on independently of each other: Flipping a bit in one location has no effect on bits in other locations. Qubits, however, can be set up using a quantum-mechanical property called entanglement so that they are dependent on each other even when they are far apart. This means that operations performed on one qubit by a quantum computer can affect multiple other qubits simultaneously. This property akin to, but not the same as, parallel processing can make quantum computation much faster than in classical systems.
Large-scale quantum computers that is, quantum computers with hundreds of qubits do not yet exist, and are challenging to build because they require operations and measurements to be done on a atomic scale. IBMs quantum computer, for example, currently has 16 qubits, and Google is promising a 49-qubit quantum computer which would be an astounding advance by the end of the year. (In contrast, laptops currently have multiple gigabytes of RAM, with a gigabyte being eight billion classical bits.)
Notwithstanding the difficulty of building working quantum computers, theorists continue to explore their potential. In 1994, Peter Shor showed that quantum computers could quickly solve the complicated math problems that underlie all commonly used public-key cryptography systems, like the ones that provide secure connections for web browsers. A large-scale quantum computer would completely compromise the security of the internet as we know it. Cryptographers are actively exploring new public-key approaches that would be quantum-resistant, at least as far as they currently know.
Interestingly, the laws of quantum mechanics can also be used to design cryptosystems that are, in some senses, more secure than their classical analogs. For example, quantum key distribution allows two parties to share a secret no eavesdropper can recover using either classical or quantum computers. Those systems and others based on quantum computers may become useful in the future, either widely or in more niche applications. But a key challenge is getting them working in the real world, and over large distances.
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com/how-quantum-mechanics-can-change-computing-80995.
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How quantum mechanics can change computing - San Francisco ... - San Francisco Chronicle
Commonwealth Bank investing in Australia’s first quantum computer company – Which-50 (blog)
Commonwealth Bank has invested over $14 million to support the development of the first Australian silicon-based quantum computer.
They join Telstra, the Federal Government, the New South Wales Government and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in an $83 million venture to found Australias first quantum computing company.
The company, Silicon Quantum Computing Pty Ltd (SQC), has been launched to advance the development and commercialisation of the UNSWs world-leading quantum computing technology.
Working with the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology (CQC2T), the company will operate from new laboratories within CQC2Ts UNSW headquarters.
Headed by UNSW Professor of Physics Michelle Simmons, CQC2Ts research is at the forefront of a global scientific race thats been compared to the space race of the 1950s and 60s.
Todays announcement is an exciting next step in the long-standing relationship that Commonwealth Bank has had with Michelle Simmons and the UNSW Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology, says Dilan Rajasingham, Head of Emerging Technology at Commonwealth Bank.
The SQC board will initially be chaired by corporate lawyer and company director Stephen Menzies.
Other SQC board members include Professor Simmons, CBA chief information officer David Whiteing, Telstra chief scientist Hugh Bradlow and Secretary of the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science Glenys Beauchamp.
The company will drive the development and commercialisation of a 10-qubit quantum integrated circuit prototype in silicon by 2022 as the forerunner to a silicon-based quantum computer.
We have invested more than $14 million in quantum computing because we believe in its future promise, in its future capability, and its potential as a differentiator. Quantum computing will provide Commonwealth Bank with a means to evolve our understanding of our customers, through real-time analysis of their patterns and interactions, so we can provide more tailored products, insights and advice, Mr Rajasingham says.
In April 2017 Commonwealth Bank developed a quantum computer simulator to give Australian developers a head start on the massive step change in computing power promised by quantum processing.
Based on ground-breaking research by UNSW Australia, the simulator gives developers and academics a platform to create quantum computing software before the hardware has been built. It offers a direct look into the computing environment of the future.
Its clear this revolutionary technology willtransform the world as we know it. Even though the machine is still a few years away, were making the required preparations for thismajor step change.Were not waiting, Mr Rajasingham says.
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Commonwealth Bank investing in Australia's first quantum computer company - Which-50 (blog)
IEEE Approves Standards Project for Quantum Computing … – insideHPC
William Hurley is chair of IEEE Quantum Computing Working Group
Today IEEE announced the approval of the IEEE P7130Standard for Quantum Computing Definitions project. The new standards project aims to make Quantum Computing more accessible to a larger group of contributors, including developers of software and hardware, materials scientists, mathematicians, physicists, engineers, climate scientists, biologists and geneticists.
While Quantum Computing is poised for significant growth and advancement, the emergent industry is currently fragmented and lacks a common communications framework, said Whurley (William Hurley), chair, IEEE Quantum Computing Working Group. IEEE P7130 marks an important milestone in the development of Quantum Computing by building consensus on a nomenclature that will bring the benefits of standardization, reduce confusion, and foster a more broadly accepted understanding for all stakeholders involved in advancing technology and solutions in the space.
The purpose of this project is to provide a general nomenclature for Quantum Computing that may be used to standardize communication with related hardware, and software projects. This standard addresses quantum computing specific terminology and establishes definitions necessary to facilitate communication.
Confusions exist on what quantum computing or a quantum computer means, added Professor Hidetoshi Nishimori of the Tokyo Institute of Technology and IEEE P7130 working group participant. This partly originates in the existence of a few different models of quantum computing. It is urgently necessary to define each key word.
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IEEE Approves Standards Project for Quantum Computing ... - insideHPC
How quantum mechanics can change computing – The Conversation US
In early July, Google announced that it will expand its commercially available cloud computing services to include quantum computing. A similar service has been available from IBM since May. These arent services most regular people will have a lot of reason to use yet. But making quantum computers more accessible will help government, academic and corporate research groups around the world continue their study of the capabilities of quantum computing.
Understanding how these systems work requires exploring a different area of physics than most people are familiar with. From everyday experience we are familiar with what physicists call classical mechanics, which governs most of the world we can see with our own eyes, such as what happens when a car hits a building, what path a ball takes when its thrown and why its hard to drag a cooler across a sandy beach.
Quantum mechanics, however, describes the subatomic realm the behavior of protons, electrons and photons. The laws of quantum mechanics are very different from those of classical mechanics and can lead to some unexpected and counterintuitive results, such as the idea that an object can have negative mass.
Physicists around the world in government, academic and corporate research groups continue to explore real-world deployments of technologies based on quantum mechanics. And computer scientists, including me, are looking to understand how these technologies can be used to advance computing and cryptography.
In our regular lives, we are used to things existing in a well-defined state: A light bulb is either on or off, for example. But in the quantum world, objects can exist in a what is called a superposition of states: A hypothetical atomic-level light bulb could simultaneously be both on and off. This strange feature has important ramifications for computing.
The smallest unit of information in classical mechanics and, therefore, classical computers is the bit, which can hold a value of either 0 or 1, but never both at the same time. As a result, each bit can hold just one piece of information. Such bits, which can be represented as electrical impulses, changes in magnetic fields, or even a physical on-off switch, form the basis for all calculation, storage and communication in todays computers and information networks.
Qubits quantum bits are the quantum equivalent of classical bits. One fundamental difference is that, due to superposition, qubits can simultaneously hold values of both 0 and 1. Physical realizations of qubits must inherently be at an atomic scale: for example, in the spin of an electron or the polarization of a photon.
Another difference is that classical bits can be operated on independently of each other: Flipping a bit in one location has no effect on bits in other locations. Qubits, however, can be set up using a quantum-mechanical property called entanglement so that they are dependent on each other even when they are far apart. This means that operations performed on one qubit by a quantum computer can affect multiple other qubits simultaneously. This property akin to, but not the same as, parallel processing can make quantum computation much faster than in classical systems.
Large-scale quantum computers that is, quantum computers with hundreds of qubits do not yet exist, and are challenging to build because they require operations and measurements to be done on a atomic scale. IBMs quantum computer, for example, currently has 16 qubits, and Google is promising a 49-qubit quantum computer which would be an astounding advance by the end of the year. (In contrast, laptops currently have multiple gigabytes of RAM, with a gigabyte being eight billion classical bits.)
Notwithstanding the difficulty of building working quantum computers, theorists continue to explore their potential. In 1994, Peter Shor showed that quantum computers could quickly solve the complicated math problems that underlie all commonly used public-key cryptography systems, like the ones that provide secure connections for web browsers. A large-scale quantum computer would completely compromise the security of the internet as we know it. Cryptographers are actively exploring new public-key approaches that would be quantum-resistant, at least as far as they currently know.
Interestingly, the laws of quantum mechanics can also be used to design cryptosystems that are, in some senses, more secure than their classical analogs. For example, quantum key distribution allows two parties to share a secret no eavesdropper can recover using either classical or quantum computers. Those systems and others based on quantum computers may become useful in the future, either widely or in more niche applications. But a key challenge is getting them working in the real world, and over large distances.
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How quantum mechanics can change computing - The Conversation US
Introducing Australia’s first quantum computing hardware company – Computerworld Australia
Australia's first quantum computing hardware company launched today, with the goal of producing a 10 qubit integrated circuit prototype by 2022.
Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC) Pty Ltd will develop and commercialise a prototype circuit, which will serve as a "forerunner to a silicon-based quantum computer" the company said.
The company has been formed by existing investors into the Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology (CQC2T); namely USNW (which has invested $25 million into the centre), Commonwealth Bank of Australia ($14m), Telstra ($10m) and the Federal Government ($25m over five years as part of the National Innovation and Science Agenda).
The NSW Government today said it had pledged $8.7m towards the venture, the money coming from its Quantum Computing Fund which wasannounced in July.
SQCs board is made up of Michelle Simmons, UNSW Professor of Physics and director of the CQC2T; Hugh Bradlow, Telstras chief scientist; David Whiteing, Commonwealth Bank of Australias chief information officer; and Glenys Beauchamp, secretary of the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science.
Corporate lawyer and company director Stephen Menzies will act as interim chair.
We have a board which is very corporately focused, on developing and funding the engineering work to develop a ten qubit device. We will fund hardware. From that we will develop a patent pool which we hope will be without peer in the world, Menzies said.
In the first five years were very focused, the business plan is focused, on the patents associated with an engineered 10 quibit device. But beyond that we see that we have a stage on which we can develop across Australia, and Australian institutions, a broad quantum industry.
The company is seeking a further three shareholders to bring the total investment up to $100m.
The company will need additional moneys, and the business plan contemplates it will have additional shareholders who will join. All of whom we hope will bring strategic focus to the business and company, and also will bring their own enthusiasm and passion for quantum technologies, Menzies added.
SQC which will operate within the Centre for QTC at UNSW in Sydney has already started recruiting for forty roles, including 25 postdoctoral researchers, 12 PhD students, and a number of lab technicians.
Huge potential
Telstras Hugh Bradlow reiterated the telcos aim, revealed in June, to offer quantum computing to customers as-a-service.
Everyone knows that Telstra aims to be a globally leading technology company and if were going to do that we have to be at the forefront of 21st Century computing. [When realised] our customers are going to have access to a computer of unprecedented power and theyre not going to have the faintest idea of how to use it. So its Telstras aim to be in a position that, when that happens, we are skilled and knowledgeable about how to deliver those services to our customers. We look forward to taking [SQCs] products and putting them into our cloud services offerings in the future, he said.
Dilan Rajasingham, head of emerging technologies at Commonwealth Bank of Australia spoke of the huge potential of the technology.
Quantum computing is a revolutionary technology. It will transform the world as we know it. Weve invested more than $14m in quantum computing, because we believe in its future promise, we believe in its future capability, we believe in its potential as a differentiator. Not just for those of us involved, but also for Australia in general, he said.
We believe that quantum computing could be the foundation of a new high-tech ecosystem that can comes from Australia, our home, our biggest market and a key part of our identity. More than that though we are creating something newEven though the machine is still a few years away, the time for investment is now.
Senator Arthur Sinodinos, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, said the company would help give Australia a competitive advantage over the rest of the world.
"As a country we punch above our weight when it comes to knowledge creation but we really need to be doing more when it comes to commercialising our great ideas here in Australia. Its very important we do that. Thats not to say we commercialise every idea in this country but too many ideas do go offshore, Sinodinos said.
"Whatever sector of innovation we want to be really good in, we want to be world beaters. We want to create a competitive advantage, command a premium. And you do that by doing something new, something others find it hard to replicate or it takes them time to replicate, and by the time theyve replicated it youve moved on to something else. This is what this is all about, creating a world competitive advantage that we can build on with great upstream and downstream effects over time.
Global race
The SQC is now part ofa global race to build a quantum computer, building on the silicon-based approach of the CQC2T.
That race is hotting up. In July Microsoft cemented its long-standing quantum computing research relationship with the University of Sydney, with the signing of a multi-year investment deal understood to be in the multiple millions.
While nobody has yet built a proven quantum computer, a number of firms have already announced plans to make the technology commercially available.
Researchers at Googles Quantum AI Laboratory said in aMarchNatureeditorialthat the company would commercialise quantum technologies within five years. In the same month, IBM announcedits commercial'Q' quantum computing programwould deliver paid quantum computing services via the cloud to usersbefore the end of the year.
Microsoft, however, told Computerworld in July that it was still trying to figure out a business model for the technology.
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Tags Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology (CQC2T)Arthur SinodinosNSW GovernmentCBAUNSWSilicon Quantum ComputingCommonwealth Bank of AustraliaHugh BradlowTelstraDilan Rajasinghamuniversity of new south wales
More about AustraliaCommonwealth BankCommonwealth Bank of AustraliaDepartment of IndustryFederal GovernmentGoogleIBMMicrosoftNSW GovernmentQQuantumTechnologyUniversity of SydneyUNSW
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Introducing Australia's first quantum computing hardware company - Computerworld Australia
$495.3 Million Quantum Computing Market 2017 by Revenue Source, Application, Industry, and Geography – Global … – PR Newswire (press release)
The quantum computing market is expected to be valued at USD 495.3 Million by 2023, at a CAGR of 29.04% between 2017 and 2023.
The major factors driving the growth of this market include rising incidences of cybercrimes, early adoption of quantum computing in the defense and automotive industry, and increasing investment by government entities in the market. To secure mobile transactions, quantum key distribution systems are being adopted. Quantum keys are considered secure, as it cannot be easily hacked.
Moreover, the University of Oxford (England), Nokia Corporation (Finland) and Bay Photonics Ltd. (UK) have developed a device, which is capable of sending quantum keys using polarized light, thereby making the payments more secure on a smartphone. This factor would have a positive impact on the quantum computing market during the forecast period.
This report segments the quantum computing market on the basis of revenue source, application, industry, and geography. The sampling application of quantum computing accounted for the largest share in 2016. This growth is mainly attributed to the growing demand for the sampling application in the banking & finance, defense, healthcare & pharmaceuticals, and chemicals industries.
North America accounted for the largest share of the overall quantum computing market in 2016. On the other hand, Asia Pacific (APAC) would be the fastest growing region for quantum computing during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to the increasing demand for quantum technology to solve the most tedious and complex problems in the defense and banking & finance industry.
The key players in this market are D Wave Systems Inc. (Canada), 1QB Information Technologies Inc. (Canada), QC Ware Corp. (US), Google Inc. (US), and QxBranch LLC (US).
Market Dynamics
Drivers
Restraints
Opportunities
Challenges
Key Topics Covered:
1 Introduction
2 Research Methodology
3 Executive Summary
4 Premium Insights
5 Market Overview
6 Quantum Computing Market, By Revenue Source
7 Quantum Computing Market, By Application
8 Quantum Computing Market, By Industry
9 Geographic Analysis
10 Competitive Landscape
11 Company Profiles
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/9nctgw/quantum_computing
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$495.3 Million Quantum Computing Market 2017 by Revenue Source, Application, Industry, and Geography - Global ... - PR Newswire (press release)
Physicists Have Made Exotic Quantum States From Light – Futurism
In BriefPhysicist have learned how to use light to create quantum states that flow from one point to another. This puts us one step closer to living in a world with quantum computers.
Five years ago, Martin Weitz and his team accomplished what other physicists had thought impossible: they created a photonic Bose-Einstein condensate, a completely new source of light.
A photonic Bose-Einstein condensate is when individual photons are collected together in a single location, cooled, and brought together to create what is known as a super-photon. Recently,Weitz of theInstitute of Applied Physics at Germanys University of Bonn set out to conduct an experiment with a newly made one.
In this new experiment, Weitz and his team were able to create wells that allowed super-photons toflow from one well to the next, an achievement that could one day lead to much-anticipated quantum computing.
The team accomplished this task by bouncing a laser between two mirrors, moving the light through a pigment between the mirrors thatcooled the light and turned it into a super-photon.Before introducing the laser light, a polymer was mixed in with the cooling pigment used to cool the light.Using this polymer allowed Weitz to influence the experiments refractive index using heat; increasing the temperature would let longer light wavelengths travel back and forth between the two mirrors.
By inducing different temperature patterns, Weitzs team was able to induce apseudo-warping effect in the polymer, creatingwells at certain points that had a different refractive index than the polymer as a whole. The team then found that the super-photon would flow into the wells, just as a liquid might flow into a hollow space.
The special thing is that we have built a kind of optical well in various forms, into which the Bose-Einstein condensate was able to flow, Weitz said in a press release. With the help of various temperature patterns, we were able to create different optical dents.
Following the creation of the photonic Bose-Einstein condensate, Weitz team of researchers observed the behavior of two adjacent optical wells. By adjusting the temperatures of the polymer, the light in both wells came to have similar energy levels, thereby allowing the created super-photon to move from one to the other.
According to Weitz, thisinnovation could be the precursor for quantum circuits, which are expected to play a large role in the future of quantum computers and communication.
The work done by Weitz and his group could also lead to better developed lasers, such as ones used for welding or drilling.
Computing applications of this technology arent expected for quite a while, but some believe the first true quantum computers may debut as early as next year. It was only in July that two Swedish PhD studentsbroke a quantum computing record, nudging use slightly closer to such a reality.
Its currently a race to see who gets us to that point first, but its only a matter of time before we figure out how to create the right machines capable of handling quantum circuits. When we do, whole new aspects of our universe may become open to us, as our computer systems inevitably become faster and more powerful.
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Physicists Have Made Exotic Quantum States From Light - Futurism
Machine learning tackles quantum error correction – Phys.Org
The neural decoder architecture. Credit: Torlai et al. 2017 American Physical Society
(Phys.org)Physicists have applied the ability of machine learning algorithms to learn from experience to one of the biggest challenges currently facing quantum computing: quantum error correction, which is used to design noise-tolerant quantum computing protocols. In a new study, they have demonstrated that a type of neural network called a Boltzmann machine can be trained to model the errors in a quantum computing protocol and then devise and implement the best method for correcting the errors.
The physicists, Giacomo Torlai and Roger G. Melko at the University of Waterloo and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, have published a paper on the new machine learning algorithm in a recent issue of Physical Review Letters.
"The idea behind neural decoding is to circumvent the process of constructing a decoding algorithm for a specific code realization (given some approximations on the noise), and let a neural network learn how to perform the recovery directly from raw data, obtained by simple measurements on the code," Torlai told Phys.org. "With the recent advances in quantum technologies and a wave of quantum devices becoming available in the near term, neural decoders will be able to accommodate the different architectures, as well as different noise sources."
As the researchers explain, a Boltzmann machine is one of the simplest kinds of stochastic artificial neural networks, and it can be used to analyze a wide variety of data. Neural networks typically extract features and patterns from raw data, which in this case is a data set containing the possible errors that can afflict quantum states.
Once the new algorithm, which the physicists call a neural decoder, is trained on this data, it is able to construct an accurate model of the probability distribution of the errors. With this information, the neural decoder can generate the appropriate error chains that can then be used to recover the correct quantum states.
The researchers tested the neural decoder on quantum topological codes that are commonly used in quantum computing, and demonstrated that the algorithm is relatively simple to implement. Another advantage of the new algorithm is that it does not depend on the specific geometry, structure, or dimension of the data, which allows it to be generalized to a wide variety of problems.
In the future, the physicists plan to explore different ways to improve the algorithm's performance, such as by stacking multiple Boltzmann machines on top of one another to build a network with a deeper structure. The researchers also plan to apply the neural decoder to more complex, realistic codes.
"So far, neural decoders have been tested on simple codes typically used for benchmarks," Torlai said. "A first direction would be to perform error correction on codes for which an efficient decoder is yet to be found, for instance Low Density Parity Check codes. On the long term I believe neural decoding will play an important role when dealing with larger quantum systems (hundreds of qubits). The ability to compress high-dimensional objects into low-dimensional representations, from which stems the success of machine learning, will allow to faithfully capture the complex distribution relating the errors arising in the system with the measurements outcomes."
Explore further: Blind quantum computing for everyone
More information: Giacomo Torlai and Roger G. Melko. "Neural Decoder for Topological Codes." Physical Review Letters. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.030501. Also at arXiv:1610.04238 [quant-ph]
2017 Phys.org
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Machine learning tackles quantum error correction - Phys.Org