First Universal Programmable Quantum Computer

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Scientists Test First Universal Programmable Quantum Computer

Physicists have been taking baby steps toward creating a full-fledged quantum computer faster and more powerful than any computer in existence, by making quantum processors capable of performing individual tasks. Now a group at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed the world's first universal programmable quantum computer that can run any program that's possible under the rules of quantum mechanics.

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First Universal Two-Qubit quantum processor created

This processor could prove to be a major breakthrough for a future quantum computer, that could very well be the ‘evolutionary leap’ in the computers’ life thus resulting the possible solve of problems that are untouchable today. The discovery was presented in the latest edition of Nature Physics and this marks the first time anybody has moved beyond asking a single task from a quantum computer.

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Realization of a programmable two-qubit quantum processor

D. Hanneke, J. P. Home, J. D. Jost, J. M. Amini, D. Leibfried, D. J. Wineland

clipped from www.nist.gov

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Ion Storage Group

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David Hanneke
Quantum Mechanic

clipped from www.nist.gov

NIST postdoctoral researcher David Hanneke at the laser table used to demonstrate the first universal programmable processor for a potential quantum computer. A pair of beryllium ions (charged atoms) that hold information in the processor are trapped inside the cylinder at the lower right. A colorized image of the two ions is displayed on the monitor in the background.

“This is the first time anyone has demonstrated a programmable quantum processor for more than one qubit,” says NIST postdoctoral researcher David Hanneke, first author of the paper. “It’s a step toward the big goal of doing calculations with lots and lots of qubits. The idea is you’d have lots of these processors, and you’d link them together.

The NIST processor stores binary information (1s and 0s) in two beryllium ions (electrically charged atoms), which are held in an electromagnetic trap and manipulated with ultraviolet lasers. Two magnesium ions in the trap help cool the beryllium ions.

NIST scientists can manipulate the states of each beryllium qubit, including placing the ions in a “superposition” of both 1 and 0 values at the same time, a significant potential advantage of information processing in the quantum world. Scientists also can “entangle” the two qubits, a quantum phenomenon that links the pair’s properties even when the ions are physically separated.

Sources:

1. Scientists Test First Universal Programmable Quantum Computer | Popular Science
2. First Universal Two-Qubit quantum processor created | ZME Science
3. Home : Nature Physics
4. Access : Realization of a programmable two-qubit quantum|[nbsp]|processor : Nature Physics
5. National Institute of Standards and Technology
6. NIST Ion Storage Group
7. David Hanneke
8. NIST Tech Beat - November 17, 2009

Related:

1. Scientists Make Breakthrough With First Programmable Quantum Processor - quantum processor - Gizmodo
2. Giz Explains: Why Quantum Computing Is the Future (But a Distant One) - quantum computer - Gizmodo
3. First universal programmable quantum computer unveiled - tech - 15 November 2009 - New Scientist
4. Quantum computers are coming – just don't ask when - tech - 21 September 2009 - New Scientist

Cool! Nanoparticles

Recent results from research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) show that adding the right dash of nanoparticles to standard mixes of lubricants and refrigerants could highly contribute to energy saving in cooling systems.

clipped from www.nist.gov clipped from www.nist.gov Cool! Nanoparticle Research Points to Energy Savings Adding just the right dash of nanoparticles to standard mixes of lubricants and refrigerants could yield the equivalent of an energy-saving chill pill for factories, hospitals, ships, and others with large cooling systems, suggest the latest results from National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) research that is pursuing promising formulations. NIST researcher Mark Kedzierski has found that dispersing “sufficient” amounts of copper oxide particles (30 nanometers in diameter) in a common polyester lubricant and combining it with an equally pedestrian refrigerant (R134a) improves heat transfer by between 50 percent and 275 percent. “We were astounded,” he says. clipped from www2.bfrl.nist.gov Mark A. Kedzierski clipped from www.nanowerk.com Cool! Nanoparticle research points to energy savings clipped from news.softpedia.com Nanoparticles Could Improve Energy Efficiency clipped from www.physorg.com Nanoparticle Research Points to Energy Savings clipped from www.rdmag.com Nanoparticles take chill off of energy consumption

Nanosoccer

clipped from www.nist.gov Welcome to Nanosoccer! Imagine a mechanical Pelé or David Beckham six times smaller than an amoeba playing with a “soccer ball” no wider than a human hair on a field that can fit on a grain of rice. Purely science fiction? Not anymore. Microchip with Nanosoccer Fields of Play Nanosoccer Ball clipped from www.nist.gov A photograph of a typical nanosoccer robot compared in size to red blood cells. About 200 of these robots could stretch in a line across the top of a plain M&M candy. clipped from www.medgadget.com Video of a Nanosoccer Nanobot This is a follow up video to our post about the upcoming Nanosoccer 2008 US RoboCup Open. Folks over at Boing Boing Gadgets discovered this amazing video of a "tiny 'bot 'dribbling' a 'ball'."