Saturday, July 4, 2009

Scientists Create First Electronic Quantum Processor


The first rudimentary solid-state quantum processor has been built by a team of scientists led by Yale University researchers. The two-qubit superconducting chip was used to run elementary algorithms, demonstrating quantum information processing with a solid-state device for the first time.

According to a press release from Yale, “the team manufactured two artificial atoms, or qubits (“quantum bits”). While each qubit is actually made up of a billion aluminum atoms, it acts like a single atom that can occupy two different energy states. These states are akin to the “1” and “0” or “on” and “off” states of regular bits employed by conventional computers. Because of the counterintuitive laws of quantum mechanics, however, scientists can effectively place qubits in a “superposition” of multiple states at the same time, allowing for greater information storage and processing power.”

The study appeared in the June 28th issue of Nature.

No comments: