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The Badger Herald

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The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

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Breakthrough by UW researchers bring quantum computers step closer to realization

Two University of Wisconsin professors have made a major breakthrough, bringing researchers one step closer to realizing the possibility of quantum computing.

The breakthrough was achieved by using neutral atoms to create a circuit more consistent with the kind needed to achieve a quantum computer.

Quantum computing will complement the use of classical computers by being able to complete some tasks traditional computers currently have difficulty doing. It requires a large group of atoms linked together.

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“Quantum computing is using quantum mechanics to do certain kinds of computations much more efficiently than a classical computer can do them,” UW physics professor Thad Walker said.

He added factorizing large numbers would be one of the main things a quantum computer would be used for.

Because neutral atoms do not interact with each other, they are easier to link together into these large groups than charged atoms.

Physics professor Mark Saffman and Walker used two uncharged atoms to create a circuit known as a controlled-NOT quantum gate that would be an essential component in a quantum computer.

According to a statement, the team used lasers, extreme cold and a vacuum to immobilize two rubidium atoms. They then used another laser to excite the atoms to create the circuit between them.

“For the first time [with neutral atoms], we have demonstrated the fundamental process that needs to be done to make a quantum computer,” Walker said.

The statement added the professors are now working to connect up to 50 atoms to test the possibility of using their method to get closer to a quantum computer.

“As it stands right now, this is a promising step forward,” Saffman said.

He added while the work with neutral atoms is not yet at the level of work with charged atoms, the process of putting these neutral atoms together is much easier than with ions.

While the reality of manufacturing a large quantum computer is still a long way away, less complex quantum computers may be in use in the next decade.

“The ultimate quantum computer that could factor numbers faster than any classical computer and break secret codes — that’s probably many decades away,” Saffman said.

“But a medium-sized or small-sized quantum computer that could help us design new materials and simulate other systems much more efficiently than any classical computer — that might be only five to ten years away.”

Even when quantum computers are produced, they will not take the place of all classical computers, Saffman said.

“The quantum computer is a very special purpose computer,” Saffman said. “It’s not going to replace your laptop or your home PC, but what the quantum computer can do is solve some important problems faster than any classical computer.”

Walker added the largest implication quantum computers would have for everyday life is in their ability to create more sophisticated Internet security and for database searching.

“It wouldn’t be something a person would be using every day, but it would be kind of indirectly affecting their lives,” Walker said.

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