娇色导航

Researchers at the University of Oxford have for the first time by connecting two separate quantum processors via a photonic network interface. By using optical fibers to entangle quantum bits in separate modules, quantum logic operations can be performed across the modules via quantum teleportation.

The method makes it possible to link together small quantum units, which could potentially lead to functioning quantum computer systems on a large scale that could perform calculations in a few hours that would take today’s supercomputers several years.

Quantum computing has long had a scalability problem, in that packing together the large number of qubits necessary to achieve theorized quantum processing leaps would require computers of immense size. By linking together smaller quantum devices, the researchers suggest that this vast processing scale could be achieved through a distributed network rather than a single machine.

“Our experiment demonstrates that network-distributed quantum information processing is feasible with current technology,” says Professor David Lucas, principal investigator of the research team, in a press release.

He continues: “Scaling up quantum computers remains a formidable technical challenge that will likely require new physical insights as well as intensive engineering work in the coming years.”

More on quantum computing:

• Google claims quantum leap with new Willow chip
• Think you can ignore quantum computing? Think again.
• Microsoft makes quantum breakthrough, plans commercial offering