How do Quantum computers work and do you think in 50 years we will have Quantum computers?
What is holding back Quantum computers ?When do you think we will have Quantum computers ?
‘A classical computer has a memory made up of bits, where each bit represents either a one or a zero. A quantum computer maintains a sequence of qubits. A single qubit can represent a one, a zero, or, crucially, any quantum superposition of these; moreover, a pair of qubits can be in any quantum superposition of 4 states, and three qubits in any superposition of 8. In general a quantum computer with n qubits can be in an arbitrary superposition of up to 2^n different states simultaneously (this compares to a normal computer that can only be in one of these 2^n states at any one time). A quantum computer operates by manipulating those qubits with a fixed sequence of quantum logic gates. The sequence of gates to be applied is called a quantum algorithm.’
It is the simultaneous manipulation of these 2^n qubits of data that accounts for the tremendous
advantage in efficiency that a quantum computer would represent. The most difficult algorithms
could be solved almost instantaneously, rather than in the time consuming linear method used by
current digital computers.
Will we have workable quantum computers within 50 years? Not a chance.
While researchers have indeed already succeeded in manipulating individual qubits in order to
demonstrate basic principles, they are still stuck in the very preliminary stages of development.
In order to produce a real, practical quantum computer, they will first have to find a way to get
around some of the basic limitations posed by quantum mechanics and uncertainty. In other words,
they need to find a way to ‘fool’ nature into letting us take advantage of the superposition of quantum states and extract information from them, without affecting those same states. Something
which will not be easy, and which we currently have no idea how to accomplish except in the most
elementary way. Nonetheless, some of the best minds are currently working on this very subject as
the development of a workable quantum computer would put the owner at a tremendous technological advantage.
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