QuTech, the Dutch quantum computing company, announced on February 15 that it has partnered with chip maker Intel to develop a programmable dual quantum computer running on a silicon chip.
The researchers used a special type of quantum unit, the 'spin quantum unit', to run two different quantum algorithms on a silicon chip.
Spin quantum units have the advantage that they do not require harsh conditions, such as cryogenic temperatures. In essence, a spin-quantum unit is an electron that is activated by microwave pulses.
General quantum computer systems, such as the Intel 49-Quantum Unit Computer, rely on superconducting materials and extremely high temperatures near absolute zero temperatures (about minus 273 degrees Celsius) and therefore have a very limited range of applications.
It is generally accepted that quantum computing should be able to do things that 'normal' computers can not do, such as simulating complex molecules or communications that can not be hacked. Quantum computing seems to change everything.
However, these are good expectations, and quantum computers, like other technologies, are subject to various factors, and quantum computers are still in their infancy.
Although people put a lot of resources, but the quantum computer can only do a few things, far from reaching the real practical level.
The industry believes that 'spin quantum units' bring hope, because it is not a real quantum computer, but with the existing common computer technology in order to achieve quantum computing.
Intel, in particular, is a global leader in silicon chip sales and can take advantage of this technology to accelerate the development of usable quantum computers.
Technicians in the white paper released state that the unique advantages of a spin-quantum unit are the electronics-level operations that work well with existing computer workstations.
The researchers also said that this new type of quantum cell system initially through experimental testing, still need to explore more performance.
At present, the development of quantum computers seems to be at a bottleneck. The technicians need the computational performance of 100 quantum units, but how to implement this technique has not been found yet.
Perhaps, Intel and QuTech silicon chip 'quantum computer' will open up a new way.