Expansion of Quantum Computing Benjamin Beyer

EXPANSION OF OF

QUANTUM COMPUTING

Written By Benjamin Beyer Designed By Bianca Vama

Throughout history, people have used computers for a variety of purposes and they have become ubiquitous in our society. Research into computers is ongoing and will continue as they are useful tools that can enhance every aspect of our daily lives. Around 1982, Richard Feynman formulated an early iteration of quantum algorithm to complete quantum calculations, and this was fl eshed out in 1983 by David Albert. The basis of quantum computing is called a qubit, and this was realized in 1998 with the fi rst qubit registers. While normal computers use binary to store and transmit data, quantum computers use qubits to store data which have the power to store data much more concisely than binary. This is because of the quantum mechanical principle of superposition which allows the qubit to be in either a “0” state, “1” state, or a combination of these two states, and this is the reason that quantum computers can more effi ciently store and complete calculations. Throughout the 2000s, this technology has been scaled up and complicated quantum algorithms have been developed which have proven to be faster than their classical counterparts due to quantum principles such as superposition. we can start to think about the commercial advantages of quantum computing and the expansion of quantum computing into the consumer world. For example, electric car companies are investing in this idea to see if they can enhance the capabilities of electric car batteries. They are doing research into the chemistry of electric car batteries with the help of quantum computing’s vast power and calculating capabilities. As quantum computers continue to improve, their capabilities will continue to challenge and surpass the capabilities of classical computers which could help further expand the electric car industry.

The extent to which quantum computing can revolutionize some industries is not yet known. While this power is used in electric car battery development, quantum computing is also forecasted to be able to be used in drug discovery. This is one of many very new developments in the quantum computing industry. While often people consider wet labs to be at the forefront of drug development, the forefront of drug development has been pivoting into computational realms. For many of the purposes that drug development requires, classical computing suffi ces. Companies hope that quantum computing will be able to predict certain qualities of molecules like reactivity, structure, and behavior of large and

complicated drug molecules. It would also increase the precision and usefulness of our models such that fewer materials would be needed to test and perfect the drugs themselves. While this is not currently being used, companies are exploring the possibilities of harnessing quantum computing power in pharmaceutical development. As this technology improves and becomes better at helping in drug synthesis, this would be able to revolutionize drug development and testing.

While the power of quantum computing will be able to be harnessed in the future of many consumer fi elds, quantum computers are also being used to increase our knowledge of theoretical physics. The CERN Supercollider is one such instance of these computers being used to progress our knowledge of particle physics, namely the Standard Model and the Higgs Boson. This elusive particle is one that is hypothesized to be the origin of mass in the universe, but it’s elusivity has been a topic of contention for years. At CERN in Switzerland, classical computers process immense amounts of data using the most stateof-the-art classical systems, but as quantum computers improve, CERN will begin using these computers to more effi ciently and more precisely sift through the data it receives to resolve the mystery of the Higgs Boson.

In the future, more aspects and quirks of quantum mechanics will be harnessed by these computers and they will only become even more advantageous to use compared to their classical counterparts, especially as they become more commercially available. One of the most promising ways that innovation is being done in quantum computing is the use of dual-atom spreads, which—simply put—will allow for even more data to be stored within the qubit system. This will only improve quantum computers as this technology becomes more understood and available. While classical computers have become such a large industry, there is undeniable promise in their quantum counterparts and these quantum computers may one day be as ubiquitous as the classical computers we use daily.

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