[国防科技物理2-5周.docVIP

Physics: Quantum Computing by Emanuel Knill What is a quantum computer? 1 We can think of it as a traditional computer that has access to, and can manipulate, quantum information. Information in traditional or classical computers is represented by strings of “0”s and “1”s called bits. Quantum information uses quantum bits, or qubits, instead. A qubit is a quantum system that has two distinguishable configurations corresponding to the bit values 0 and 1. But being a quantum system, the superposition principle applies: the qubit’s state can be any combination, or superposition, of the two configurations. Likewise, a string of qubits can be in any superposition of its bit-string configurations. This allows quantum interference to be exploited and greatly enriches the kind of information that can be represented. What are qubits made of? 2 One of the first proposals for making qubits was based on photons (quanta of light). In this case, one can associate the two distinguishable configurations with whether or not a photon passes through a polarizer, such as a lens from a pair of polarizing sunglasses. Many other quantum systems can be used. Examples include trapped atoms or ions and the collective behaviour of electrons in superconducting circuits. For atoms and ions, the two configurations arise from different electron and nuclear arrangements; for superconducting circuits, the configurations can be characterized by the system’s charge (for example, charged/uncharged) or f lux (for example, as induced by clockwise /anticlockwise current). How is quantum information manipulated? 3 Quantum computing requires the physical manipulation — initialization, control and measurement — of the state of many qubits. Control is accomplished by applying quantum gates, the quantum analogues of classical logic gates. Are quantum computers faster than classical computers? 4 Some problems can be solved much faster on quantum computers. Because they are an extension of classical comp