adminQUANTUM COMPUTERS
Classical computers use bits 0 or 1 to store and process information. Quantum computers in contrast use quibits or quantum bits which can be both 0 and 1 at the same time.
Alternatively quantum computers may be defined as very powerful machines that use the principles of quantum mechanics to perform calculations.
There several types and configuration of quantum computers and they are; gate based quantum computers, topological quantum computers, adiabatic quantum computers and quantum annealers.
Gate based quantum computers use quantum gates to perform operations on quibits. For instance IBM quantum and Google quantum AI computer uses gates based quantum computers.
Topological quantum computer uses exotic materials to create stable quibits. Examples of topological quantum computers are Microsoft quantum station Q and Microsoft’s topological quibits.
Adiabatic quantum computers use gradual changes to solve optimization problems. Examples of adiabatic quantum computers are D-Wave systems and D-Wave 2000Q.
Quantum annealers are specialized quantum computers designed to solve optimization problems. Example of quantum annealer is D-Wave quantum annealer.
The advantages of quantum computers are as follows; quantum computers can solve certain problems more faster than classical computers. Quantum computers can easily simulate complex systems. Quantum computers can solve optimization problems more efficiently.
The disadvantages of quantum computers are as follows; quantum computers are prone to errors due to noise. Also building large scale quantum computer system is challenging and maintaining control over quantum states is difficult.
Quantum computers are indispensable in the following applications; cryptography since quantum computer can easily make and break difficult encryption algorithms easily. Quantum computers can solve complex optimization problems. Quantum computers can stimulate material properties and speed up certain machine learning algorithms.
The future of quantum computers depends on the advancement in quantum hardware and software and integrating classical computer with quantum computer to form a hybrid computers.
Nevertheless in the future quantum computers will revolutionize all aspects of human endeavor from technology, government, research, medicine, computing, marketing, defense, to space and so on.
SOURCE:
- Quantum computers for computer scientists by N.S Yanofsky and M.A. Mannueci.
- Quantum computer science: an introduction by D. Mermin.
- Quantum computing explained by D. McMahon.
- Quantum computation and quantum information by M.A. Nielsen and I.L. Chuang.
- The God equation by M. Kaku.
