The first reprogrammable quantum computer

The scientist from the University of Maryland was able to create the world's first programmable and reprogrammable quantum computer. Scientists for many years went to this goal, because quantum computers can solve many problems that traditional computers can not cope with, the information inside of which is transmitted by means of electric voltage. Theoretically, a quantum computer is capable of simultaneously producing so many calculations, the number of which is even difficult to imagine. But scientists always have to start small.

Quantum computers could be created earlier, but the achievement of researchers from Maryland lies in the fact that now the computer can be reprogrammed without making any changes to its physical architecture. The results of their research scientists published in the prestigious journal Nature. Supervised the development of the computer Dr. Shantanu Debnat. The device is a set of five interrelated qubits (quantum bits of information) based on ytterbium ions. Ytterbium is one of the most studied elements, suitable for use in such projects.

Each qubit combines the roles of the memory cell and the computational module. It can simultaneously store a logical zero and a unit, thanks to the laws of quantum physics. Combining the qubits with each other was possible with the help of lasers and magnetic fields. The scientists arranged five qubits in the form of a pentagram, and then began to control them with a conventional computer, creating new links between them and destroying the old ones.

It was written special software, which transforms any mathematical algorithms into instructions that are understandable to a quantum computer. In the course of experiments on the quantum computer created, the Doich-Jozhi, Bernstein-Wazirani, and the Fourier transform algorithms were launched. Scientists are especially proud of the fact that their computer is extremely reliable in comparison with previous attempts to create such a computer. Kubits give an error only in 2% of cases, which is a great achievement.

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