6 May, 2017
Dr. Li’s Explanation on Quantum Computers, as Expert of ZHSCI Think tank serve for the public
Expert of ZHSCI Think tank, Dr. Li Zhifeng was invited to explain quantum computers for readers of QianJiang Evening News on May 4, 2017.
Li received his PhD from the University of Vienna, and established a science laboratory in Chongqing which is specialized for children aged 6-14 years. .
What is quantum?
In physics, a quantum is the minimum amount of any physical entity involved in an interaction. All of the microscopic particles including molecule, atom, electron and photon, are the manifestations of the quantum. To some extent, the quantum forms the physical world. Nowadays quantum technology is widely applied to our daily life. China has launched the world’s first quantum satellite to send communications back to earth. Quantum technology will make these communications safe from hackers.
What is the superiority of quantum computers?
A classical computer has a memory made up of bits, where each bit is represented by either a one or a zero. A quantum computer maintains a sequence of qubits(quantum bits). A single qubit can represent a one, a zero, or any quantum superposition of those qubit states: a pair of qubits can be in any quantum superposition of 4 states and three qubits in any superposition of 8 states. That’s to say, large-scale quantum computers would theoretically be able to solve certain problems much more quickly than any classical computers
As of 2017, the development of actual quantum computers is still in its infancy, but experiments have been carried out in which quantum computational operations were executed on a very small number of quantum bits. Both practical and theoretical research continues, and many national governments and military agencies are funding quantum computing research. In May, 2017, Prof. Pan Jianwei and his team announce that the 10-qubit quantum computer exists.
Quantum computers will improve our life. The weather report will be more accurate via high-speed quantum computers. The quantum key will make the network safer than ever.
Translated by DU Ying