Sep 24 2010
Researchers from the University of Bristol have created a new, advanced silicon chip. The chip could be used to conduct complicated simulations and calculations by utilizing quantum particles. The new technique to quantum computing could be adopted in the near future. The international research team includes scientists from Netherlands’s University of Twente, Israel’s Weizmann Institute, and Japan’s Tohoku University.
Graphic representation of the two-photon quantum walk
Scientists believe that the silicon chip will help in developing quantum computers, which use quantum bits (qubits) instead of the traditional bits utilized in existing PCs.
A quantum bit can be in a number of states at any time, unlike transistors or conventional bits that can be in only one state at a time. Hence, the quantum bit can be utilized to process a huge amount of data at a faster rate.
The qubit technique utilizes two similar light particles. These particles move along a circuit network in a silicon chip to conduct a quantum walk experiment. Researchers conducted the quantum walk experiment using two light particles. Earlier, researchers had performed a similar experiment using one light particle.
The research team plans to utilize the new results to generate new simulation tools in the laboratory. The results, in the long term, will be used to develop a quantum computer using a multi-photon quantum walk to simulate processes.