Physicists have performed the first quantum calculations to be carried out using individual atoms sitting on a surface.
The technique, described on 5 October in Science1, controls titanium atoms by beaming microwave signals from the tip of a scanning tunnelling microscope (STM). It is unlikely to compete any time soon with the leading approaches to quantum computing, including those adopted by Google and IBM, as well as by many start-up companies. But the tactic could be used to study quantum properties in a variety of other chemical elements or even molecules, say the researchers who developed it.
At some level, everything in nature is quantum and can, in principle, perform quantum computations. The hard part is to isolate quantum states called qubits the quantum equivalent of the memory bits in a classical computer from environmental disturbances, and to control them finely enough for such calculations to be achieved.
Andreas Heinrich at the Institute for Basic Science in Seoul and his collaborators worked with natures original qubit the spin of the electron. Electrons act like tiny compass needles, and measuring the direction of their spin can yield only two possible values, up or down, which correspond to the 0 and 1 of a classical bit. But before it is measured, electron spin can exist in a continuum of possible intermediate states, called superpositions. This is the key to performing quantum computations.
Three titanium atoms are arranged inside a scanning tunnelling microscope (STM), close enough to sense each other's quantum spins. Iron atoms stuck to the tip of the STM (top) 'talk' with one of the qubits (blue), using it to read and write information on the other two (red) and to get them to perform a rudimentary quantum computation.Credit: Center for Quantum Nanoscience
The researchers started by scattering titanium atoms on a perfectly flat surface made of magnesium oxide. They then mapped the atoms positions using the STM, which has atomic resolution. They used the tip of the STM probe to move the titanium atoms around, arranging three of them into a triangle.
Using microwave signals emitted from the STM tip, the researchers were able to control the spin of a single electron in one of the titanium atoms. By tuning the frequencies of the microwaves appropriately, they could also make its spin interact with the spins in the other two titanium atoms, similarly to how multiple compass needles can influence each other through their magnetic fields. By doing this, the team was able to set up a simple two-qubit quantum operation, and also to read out its results. The operation took just nanoseconds faster than is possible with most other types of qubit.
Heinrich says that it will be fairly straightforward to extend the technique to perhaps 100 qubits, possibly by manipulating spins in a combination of individual atoms and molecules. It might be difficult to push it much beyond that, however and the leading qubit technologies are already being scaled up to hundreds of qubits. We are more on the basic-science side, Heinrich says, although he adds that multiple STM quantum computers could one day be linked to form a bigger one.
See original here:
New kind of quantum computer made using high-resolution ... - Nature.com
- D-Wave Introduces New Fast Anneal Feature, Extending Quantum Computing Performance Gains - Yahoo Finance - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- Major First: Quantum Information Produced, Stored, And Retrieved - ScienceAlert - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- Horizon Quantum Computing to Establish First-of-a-Kind Hardware Testbed - The Quantum Insider - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- Quantum Cloud Computing Secured in New Breakthrough at Oxford - TechRepublic - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- Quantum Computing Could be the Next Revolution - Fair Observer - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- Horizon Quantum Computing to Pioneer Multi-Vendor Quantum Hardware Testbed - HPCwire - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- These 10 quantum computing companies have pulled in the most VC cash - PitchBook News & Analysis - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- D-Wave Launches Fast Anneal Feature for Enhanced Quantum Computing Performance - Quantum Computing Report - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- Software Specialist Horizon Quantum to Build First-of-a-Kind Hardware Testbed - HPCwire - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- Illuminating Futures: Celebrating Achievements and Exploring Quantum Computing at This is IT! Event - Royal Examiner - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- Horizon Quantum Computing to Establish First-of-a-Kind Hardware Testbed - The Bakersfield Californian - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- A Weakness in One of the NIST PQC Algorithms Was Not Uncovered After All - Quantum Computing Report - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- Commodore 64 claimed to outperform IBM's quantum system sarcastic researchers say 1 MHz computer is faster ... - Tom's Hardware - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- Quantum computing: a new frontier for the broadcast and media industry - RedShark News - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- 3 Steps Businesses Should Take to Prepare for Quantum Computing Disruption - TechSpective - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- Orientum Publishes 'Quantum Finance Algorithm' Paper on ArXiv - The Quantum Insider - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- Quantum Linear Solvers for Redundant Baseline Calibration - AZoQuantum - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- 'Almost very close' to nuclear weapon: Federal cyber officials brace for quantum computing surprise - Washington Times - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- D-Wave fast anneal extends quantum computing performance ... - eeNews Europe - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- Horizon Quantum Computing to Set Up Its Own Hardware Testbed for Tight Integration Between the Hardware and Software Stacks - Quantum Computing Report - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- Global Quantum Technology Market Research 2024-2029 with Assessment of Companies Focused on Quantum ... - Daily Host News - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- The experimental demonstration of a verifiable blind quantum computing protocol - Phys.org - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- Researchers create 'quantum drums' to store qubits one step closer to groundbreaking internet speed and security - Tom's Hardware - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- Access to burgeoning quantum technology field could be widened by educational model - Phys.org - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- 'Quantum memory' could make the internet super fast and secure - Futurity: Research News - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- Senate bill aims to bring more private sector participation to federal AI innovation - Nextgov/FCW - April 20th, 2024 [April 20th, 2024]
- Quantum Computing Leaps Forward with Groundbreaking Error Correction - yTech - April 4th, 2024 [April 4th, 2024]
- Microsoft and Quantinuum Pave the Way for Reliable Quantum Computing - yTech - April 4th, 2024 [April 4th, 2024]
- Breakthrough in Quantum Information Communication Achieved by Tokyo Researchers - yTech - April 4th, 2024 [April 4th, 2024]
- Microsoft Advances in Quantum Computing with Error-Reduction Breakthrough - yTech - April 4th, 2024 [April 4th, 2024]
- Quantinuum H2 Paves the Way for Reliable Quantum Computing - yTech - April 4th, 2024 [April 4th, 2024]
- Why Quantum Computers Will Never Break Bitcoin - Palm Beach Research Group - April 4th, 2024 [April 4th, 2024]
- Microsoft and Quantinuum boast quantum computing breakthrough - DIGIT.FYI - April 4th, 2024 [April 4th, 2024]
- Microsoft and Quantinuum announce breakthrough in quantum computing 14 thousand experiments without errors - ITC - April 4th, 2024 [April 4th, 2024]
- Revolutionizing Quantum Computing: Breakthroughs in Quantum Error Correction - AZoQuantum - April 4th, 2024 [April 4th, 2024]
- Quantum Computing Recharged With Electromagnetic Ion Trap Innovation - SciTechDaily - April 4th, 2024 [April 4th, 2024]
- Next-Generation Quantum Leap Achieved by Microsoft and Quantinuum - yTech - April 4th, 2024 [April 4th, 2024]
- Microsoft and Quantinuum announce development of next-generation technology that reduces 'noise' by 800 times ... - GIGAZINE - April 4th, 2024 [April 4th, 2024]
- BTQ Technologies Corp. Partners with the Australian Quantum Software Network to Advance Quantum Computing and ... - PR Newswire - April 4th, 2024 [April 4th, 2024]
- Quantinuum and Microsoft Leap towards Quantum Superiority with Noise Reduction Breakthrough - yTech - April 4th, 2024 [April 4th, 2024]
- The 3 Best Quantum Computing Stocks to Buy in Q2 2024 - InvestorPlace - April 4th, 2024 [April 4th, 2024]
- What Are the Implications of Quantum Computing for the Future of Data Security? - socPub - April 4th, 2024 [April 4th, 2024]
- Cosmic rays, XR, and 'multiverse' quantum computing welcome to EIC's deeptech Scaling Club - TNW - April 4th, 2024 [April 4th, 2024]
- Wall Street Favorites: 3 Quantum Computing Stocks with Strong Buy Ratings for February 2024 - InvestorPlace - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Never-Repeating Tiles Can Safeguard Quantum Information - Quanta Magazine - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Fractional Electrons: MIT's New Graphene Breakthrough Is Shaping the Future of Quantum Computing - SciTechDaily - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Qubits are notoriously prone to failure but building them from a single laser pulse may change this - Livescience.com - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- New Phase of Matter Created During Experiments with Exotic Particles in Quantum Processor - The Debrief - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Harnessing the Power of Neutrality: Comparing Neutral-Atom Quantum Computing With Other Modalities - The Quantum Insider - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Apple is already defending iMessage against tomorrow's quantum computing attacks - The Verge - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Government of Canada Supports Xanadu to Accelerate Quantum Computing Research and Education - HPCwire - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- U.S. weighs National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act - TechTarget - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- The Current State of Quantum Computing - Securities.io - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Superconducting qubit promises breakthrough in quantum computing - Advanced Science News - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Quantum Computing Breakthrough: New Fusion of Materials Has All the Components Required for a Unique Type of ... - SciTechDaily - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- 3 Quantum Computing Stocks That Could Be Multibaggers in the Making: February Edition - InvestorPlace - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- DCD Podcast - The fundamentals of quantum computing, with Yuval Boger, QuEra - DCD - DatacenterDynamics - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Apple to launch PQ3 update for iMessage, bolstering encryption against quantum computing - ReadWrite - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Illinois governor's proposed $53B budget includes funds for migrants, quantum computing and schools - The Associated Press - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- How is Quantum Technology Developing in Ireland? A Conversation with John Durcan, IDA Ireland - AZoQuantum - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Quantum Poker: The States of Colorado and Illinois are Betting on Quantum - Quantum Computing Report - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- One of those transformational investments: $15M brings quantum computing to SC - WIS News 10 - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Apple is future-proofing iMessage with post-quantum cryptography - Cointelegraph - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Singapore warns banks to prepare for quantum computing cyber threat - Finextra - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- New Superconducting Flowermon Superconducting Qubit Designed to Greatly Increase Coherence Times - Quantum Computing Report - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Apple Ramps Up iMessage Security to Fight Looming Quantum Computing Threat - PCMag - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- IONQ Stock Outlook: Why This Quantum Computing Play Could Be a Long-Term Winner - InvestorPlace - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Apple future-proofing iMessage to protect against the scary future of quantum computing hacking - TechRadar - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Apple to upgrade iMessage with measures against future quantum computing hacking - The Indian Express - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- FedDev Ontario invests $17 million in 12 companies to advance quantum computing - IT World Canada - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Apple Bolsters iMessage Encryption Amid Quantum Computing Threats - Telecom Lead - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- The 3 Most Undervalued Quantum Computing Stocks to Buy in January - InvestorPlace - January 21st, 2024 [January 21st, 2024]
- The Week's 10 Biggest Funding Rounds: Quantinuum And Flexport Lock Up Huge Rounds - Crunchbase News - January 21st, 2024 [January 21st, 2024]
- US users top list after Chinas state-of-the-art quantum computer goes global - South China Morning Post - January 21st, 2024 [January 21st, 2024]
- Mitsui to invest in Quantinuum, a leading global quantum computing company, and sign a distributorship agreement for ... - Mitsui - January 21st, 2024 [January 21st, 2024]
- Breakthrough in quantum computing with stable room temperature qubits - Advanced Science News - January 21st, 2024 [January 21st, 2024]
- Why IONQ Is Not a Stock to Buy (Yet) - InvestorPlace - January 21st, 2024 [January 21st, 2024]
- Davos and the global state of quantum - POLITICO - January 21st, 2024 [January 21st, 2024]
- High-Frequency Transactions: Collaborating with Quantum AI? Features Film Threat - Film Threat - January 21st, 2024 [January 21st, 2024]
- Quantum Computing: Revolution on the Horizon? | by Shan | Jan, 2024 - Medium - January 21st, 2024 [January 21st, 2024]