QUANTUM COMPUTERS - the next generation

Quantum computers may represent the next generation of computation as the silicon chip reaches its limit in the next 10 years (The End Of Moore’s Law).  Read on to see what I mean.

Quantum Computers-The Next Generation

Moore’s Law and Its Limit

• This amazing law was postulated in 1965 by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore and still applies today. 
• Today’s computers are silicon chip based and the reason they have increased in power while  decreasing in size is due to Moore's law.
• Moore's law states the number of transistors that can fit on a microprocessor chip doubles every 18 months. 
• While Moore’s Law still applies today, it has a limit due to the eventual physical size restriction of the silicon chip. Remarkably, we will not reach this limit for approximately another 10 years.
• When this limit is reached, the next generation of computation could be dominated by quantum computers.

Quantum

• The word quantum is derived from Latin “quanta” meaning discrete amounts.
• It is based on observations that some physical quantities can change only in discrete amounts and not in a continuous way.
• Quantum mechanics is also known as quantum physics, or quantum theory and is a branch of physics  that deals with physical phenomena at the atomic level
• Turok talks in his  book "The Universe Within"  about how quantum mechanics is being used in several different disciplines and how this field of physics is currently being applied to the next generation of computers.  These will be called quantum computers and if you think today’s computers are fast, you “ain’t seen nothin’ yet!”.

Quantum Computers utilize the Power of Quantum Physics

Putting to work the power of quantum mechanics, quantum computers will be able to do certain calculations significantly faster than any of our present-day supercomputers. Our existing supercomputers are lightning fast, but they still perform calculations in sequence, one at a time. Quantum computers will have the ability to store and process data that is in more than one state at the same time, therefore they will be capable of performing numerous calculations in parallel or SIMULTANEOUSLY.

Their power lies in how they store information and access it. Today’s computers use binary code to store information, so all data is converted to 0s and 1s. Quantum computers would be able to store data using 0 and 1 as well as all fractions in between! For more information on quantum computers and quantum mechanics check out this article.

As you can imagine, performance of many calculations simultaneously has tremendous potential in numerous applications, including those required in factoring large numbers.  You see, large numbers are used for encoding secret information and are used for security protection online.

For example, Turok indicates that if you write down a 400 digit number, then used one of today’s supercomputers to factor that number to its prime numbers, it would take longer than 13.8 Billion years (age of the universe).  Quantum computers on the other hand, would be so fast and capable of such complex calculations simultaneously, that same task would be done in a flash!

However, a functioning quantum computer is still many years away due to the numerous problems with such sensitive machines. Among others, they are easily disrupted by interference of almost any kind, like loud noise, vibrations etc.

Although there are numerous problems, the researchers at IBM continue to press on and venture into the atomic realm of the quantum world for the next generation computer.  If they succeed, the jump in computing power will be so astronomical it will drastically change life as we know it!

The rest of Neil Turok’s book is also fascinating and I would recommend it for anyone non-technical who is interested in the history and advancement of physics. It is truly a must-read.credit for this article truly goes to  Mr Neil Turok.