14 DAY TRIAL // Researchers at University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia, managed to resolve a major issue in developing advanced quantum computing processors. They've built a logic gate between two qubits that enabled making calculations between them, forming this way the main processing core of a quantum computer.
The development is a major step forward towards building a full-size quantum computer since all the physical building blocks for a silicon quantum computer have now been put together. However, what's even more important is that now quantum computers can be standardized and mass-produced since the process of manufacturing such quantum-based silicon die use the same technology as existing silicon chips.
According to Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor and Director of the Australian National Fabrication Facility at UNSW, he says "This makes the building of a quantum computer much more feasible, since it is based on the same manufacturing technology as today's computer industry," and later on he called this discovery "a game changer."
The move to actually make the qubits exchange data in a predictable way inside a silicon chip, since the predictability factor was the main issue when dealing with quantum computers, was by reconfiguring the "transistors" inside existing bits, and turn them into qubits, and then associating one electron with them. To actually have the qubits speak binary, the scientists used the electron to "spin," and each "spin" direction was labeled as a 1 or a 0.
Commercial quantum computers could arrive in store in just a year or two
The main problem with previous quantum computers was that qubit couldn't communicate with each other inside silicon chips, so building logic gates was impossible. Now, by turning normal bits into qubits and assigning them manipulable electrons scientists can build a fully functional quantum computer with ease, using this vital foundation upon which they can work.
According to the UNSW blog, the scientists have already "patented a design for a full-scale quantum computer chip that would allow for millions of our qubits, all doing the types of calculations that we've just experimentally demonstrated," and are ready for business looking for the "the right industry partners to work with," to manufacture such a full scale chip.
Apparently, the dream of realizing the legendary super-powerful silicon quantum computers has been realized and now humanity can tap into this new and incredible computing power that goes beyond today's supercomputers.
