x
- More +
The latest developments in quantum computing were reported by a team of collaborating scientists from universities in Tokyo, England and California in April of 2015. Professor Jeremy O’Brien, Director of the Centre for Quantum Photonics at the University of Bristol and his colleagues have successfully achieved quantum teleportation on a silicon chip. Quantum computing operates using […]
The latest developments in quantum computing were reported by a team of collaborating scientists from universities in Tokyo, England and California in April of 2015. Professor Jeremy O’Brien, Director of the Centre for Quantum Photonics at the University of Bristol and his colleagues have successfully achieved quantum teleportation on a silicon chip. Quantum computing operates using qubits, which are analogous to the bits employed by electronic components in current computing technology. However, bits exist in one of two states, 0 or 1, and can only perform one calculation at a time while qubits can exist in superposition. This ability to exist in multiple states simultaneously can potentially produce computing power millions of times greater than the most powerful computers manufactured today.
Much of the current research taking place in quantum computing employs photons to transfer qubits. Quantum entanglement enables particles to become linked from a distance. Although quantum entangled particles may be in different places, they are considered to be a whole. Quantum entanglement enables quantum teleportation, the process whereby one photon transmits its quantum state to another. In previous experiments, large scale optical equipment was required to accomplish quantum teleportation. The integration of an optical circuit into a photonic chip represents a ten thousand reduction in size.
Unfortunately, the same characteristics that make quantum computing so powerful are the same ones that make it difficult to bring to fruition. The quantum effects are extraordinarily fragile, and the slightest interference can cause the qubit to collapse. As with electronic components, qubits are subject to errors; however, the errors tend to grow exponentially with the number of qubits. In applications comprised of electronic components, errors are corrected using algorithms. This is not feasible with quantum computing since the error correction process itself produces errors. In the more than 30 years that researchers have sought to make quantum computing a reality, even the best quantum computers are only capable of solving elementary school level problems.
One of the major drivers for quantum computing research is concern that classic computing technologies and supporting electronic parts have reached their limits. Moore’s Law, first observed by the co-founder of Intel and Fairfield Semiconductor, Gordon E. Moore, states that the number of electronic components per integrated circuit will double every two years. This law has proven accurate for more than 50 years. However, as transistors used in electronic components reach atomic levels, many wonder how much longer it can be sustained.
Over the history of computing research, a variety of solid state technologies have been attempted and abandoned as electronic components have proven much more feasible. While Moore’s Law has met numerous barriers in the past, each generation has continued to overcome these obstacles with the development of new electronic components such as multicore processors and a variety of innovative architectures. The leading manufacturer of electronic components, Intel Corp., states that they expect Moore’s Law to continue for the foreseeable future.
In fact, one only needs to examine the many electronic parts available for electronics manufacturers to find these leading edge computing technologies at work. A wide range of specialized electronic components with the latest capabilities are available to support engineering in the development of high tech products. The tri-gate architecture of FinFET technology offers superior control of the conducting channel with minimal current leakage. This enables lower threshold voltages to be used for optimal power and switching speed. AMD and Intel offer quad-core processors that deliver exceptional multi-tasking performance. AMD also produces an embedded discrete GPU that enables high quality graphics computing and multiple displays. Additionally, they have introduced GPU computing, which combines the power of a GPU with a CPU for high performance applications used in scientific analysis, engineering and enterprise software. These types of electronic components are currently used in cars, phones and drones. Classical computing technology offers amazing opportunities for electronics manufacturers.
