Capabilities of quantum computers
Quantum computers will not replace classical computing machines,
- Searching for unstructured data in arrays isphoto, video, audio, text files without markup. The search and analysis of files in large numbers is associated with the fragmentation of formats, languages, context, and other parameters. But it is clear that the volumes are growing every year, and this is the most important information for scientists, marketers and security specialists. It is assumed that quantum computers will easily perform several operations in parallel and search through such databases faster.
- Optimization:search for the best solution, taking into account the desired result and restrictions. This will improve delivery, help decision-making in rapidly changing markets and better manage traffic flows.
- Modeling of quantum systems, includingsuch as molecules of new materials or drugs. A quantum computer would be great at handling the complexity and uncertainty of such systems. This also includes the modeling of chemical reactions and physical interactions.
- Solving math problems that are incredibly difficultfor classical computers. This is an important feature of quantum computers, which will open a new page in cryptography - most common encryption systems will be vulnerable.
So far, the most powerful quantum processor was created by IBM, and it has 127 qubits.
Physical Basics: Essentials
What will allow quantum computers to solve problems better, faster and more efficiently than classical machines? What will ensure quantum supremacy?
Quantum computing, as the name implies,based on the processes of quantum physics. According to the postulate of quantum physics, until the moment of measurement, an electron (or other smallest particle, for example, a photon) does not have unambiguous coordinates, but is simultaneously located at all points of the orbit. This area of the sum of all states of the particle is called the electron cloud. In a simplified way, we can say that this electron cloud is a physical qubit (q-bit, quantum bit) - the basic unit of information in quantum computing.
Qubits play the same role in quantum computinglike bits in classical computing. But if classical bits are binary and can only be in position 0 or 1, then qubits are in a superposition of all possible states. Therefore, a quantum computer solves the problem not by sequential enumeration, but by considering many possible options at once. Naturally, the calculation speed increases radically.
Another important property is entanglement.This phenomenon describes such a property of quantum particles, when the results of joint measurements of distant particles turn out to be correlated, while measurements of particles separately are completely random. The more qubits you manage to confuse, creating a single system, the more powerful the computer turns out, and the more complex tasks you can solve.
Qubits play the same role in quantum computing as bits in classical computing
Current state and problems
The media constantly appears information about everythingnew advances in quantum computing – for example, at the end of 2019, Google loudly announced the achievement of quantum superiority. But the reality is that so far quantum computers solve only highly specialized tasks.
For example, the algorithm for distributing photo reports,which was shown in China on the Jiuzhang computer. This problem is one of those that have been proposed to demonstrate quantum superiority. And quantum computers cope with such tasks much more efficiently than supercomputers.
But while the quantum computer calculates the propertiessubstances, but only the most simple and well-known. And there is not enough power to create substances with desired properties or optimize logistics flows. So far, the most powerful quantum processor has been created by IBM, and it has 127 qubits. And to solve the problems mentioned at the beginning of the article, thousands of qubits will be required. However, one cannot fail to say that the progress in the field of quantum computing in the last ten years has been enormous, and so far there are no visible obstacles to progress.
But problems certainly exist.For example, this is a question of creating a quantum memory that would allow returning to the solution of a particular problem and storing the results of calculations. The issues of system scaling, increasing the coherence time, error correction - the increase in computing power depends on all this. There are also many questions in the software part, since in order to work with the results of calculations, we must “translate” the data obtained in quantum computing into the language of classical calculations. And there is still a huge field for work.
A supercomputer can't do everything, but it will solve a bunch of problems
When the reality around is constantly changing,I want to ask a naive question - could a sufficiently powerful quantum computer "predict" all this in advance? Answer: no, no computer system has the gift of foresight.
But it is precisely in such a rapidly changingsituation, a quantum computer would help in choosing the optimal strategy on the market, would find the best logistical options, which is especially valuable in conditions when the situation on the transport market is unstable. But so far there is no powerful quantum machine that can cope with such tasks in any country in the world. And in the coming years, it is unlikely to appear.
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