A standard computer uses bits, or binary digits, to store information coded as ones and zeros. Binary not only stores information but can be compared to turning a switch on or off. The zero is identified with “off,” and the one is associated with “on.”
Bits are strung together in combinations. Eight bits is a byte, which can have 256 combinations. Two bytes allows the representation of over 65,000 combinations of ones and zeros. Computers are able to process and break up a certain number of bits at once. This is referred to as a word length, and most computers have word lengths of 32 or 64 bits.
A character can be represented in one byte. A 500-word article, like this one for example, is roughly 2,250 bytes, or 18,000 bits. A picture with the terrible quality of one megabyte is 8,388,608 bits.
The amount of work a computer must do to process all these bytes and bits of binary code grows exponentially with the amount of data. In the beginning of the computer age, a room was filled with hardware; a cell phone now has more processing power.
The computer industry was able to find ways to make the switches that run processing smaller. Eventually a threshold is reached, at which the distance between parts cannot be made smaller without the signals interfering.
To combat this threshold, the race to quantum computing has begun. Quantum computing harnesses the quantum nature of particles to solve complex problems with which a conventional computer would struggle.
To study the behavior of a molecule of caffeine in a drink of your choice, complex equations need to be solved relating to positions, interactions and the properties of the atoms. With current computing abilities, approximations have to be made, and the detailed structure cannot be precisely modeled.
Quantum computing uses qbits instead of bits. The qbits are not bound by binary code. Operating on the principles of superposition and entanglement, each qbit can be a one, zero or both. This is the superposition. The entanglement of the qbits in superposition means that the behavior of two or more qbits can be correlated to one another.
The state of one or zero is dependent on the state of a separate qbit. These principles allow the qbits to act as a more sophisticated switch than the bits. The sophistication speeds up the processing power of the computer and helps to solve complex problems.
Quantum supremacy is defined as the ability to complete a calculation that would be impossible on a traditional computer.
The standard to complete quantum supremacy is using 50 qbits. Due to the “spooky action” in quantum nature, scientists struggle to control so many of these quantum particles. Some of the major companies working in the race to quantum supremacy are Google, IBM and Intel.
Google is testing a 72 qbit quantum computer, while IBM and Intel are testing a 50 qbit quantum computer and a 49 qbit test chip, respectively. The technology finally looks ready to make the quantum leap.
