Scientists at the University of Sussex in England have invented a ground-breaking new method that puts the construction of large-scale quantum computers within reach of current technology.

This means the construction of practical quantum computers will soon become radically simplified.

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Quantum computers are revolutionary. In just a few milliseconds, quantum computers can solve certain problems that will take the fastest digital supercomputer millions of years to calculate. The promise they hold is this awesome.

Quantum computers also have the potential to create new materials and medicines, as well as solve long-standing scientific and financial problems.

Universal quantum computers can be built in principle -- but the technology challenges are tremendous. The engineering required to build a single machine is considered more difficult than manned space travel to Mars -- until now.

The solution: quantum computing on a small scale using trapped ions (charged atoms).

This method is carried out by aligning individual laser beams onto individual ions with each ion forming a quantum bit. A large-scale quantum computer, however, will need billions of quantum bits, and require billions of precisely aligned lasers, one for each ion.

Instead, scientists at Sussex have invented a simple method where voltages are applied to a quantum computer microchip (without having to align laser beams) to achieve the same effect.

A trapped-ion quantum computer (refer to illustration) consists of an array of X-junctions with quantum bits formed by individual ions that are trapped above the surface of the quantum chip (shown in grey). Individual quantum bits are manipulated simply by tuning voltages as easy as tuning a radio to different stations.

Applying voltage V1 results in no quantum operation (blue zones). Applying voltage V2 results in a quantum operation on a single quantum bit (green zones).

Applying voltage V3 results in a quantum operation entangling two quantum bits (red zones).

An arbitrary large quantum computer can be constructed based on this simple-to engineer approach.

Professor Winfried Hensinger and his team also succeeded in demonstrating the core building block of this new method with an impressively low error rate at their quantum computing facility at Sussex.

"This development is a game changer for quantum computing making it accessible for industrial and government use," said Prof. Hensinger.

"We will construct a large-scale quantum computer at Sussex making full use of this exciting new technology."

Quantum computers may revolutionize society in the same way as the emergence of classical computers.

"Developing this step-changing new technology has been a great adventure and it is absolutely amazing observing it actually work in the laboratory," said Dr. Seb Weidt, a member of the Ion Quantum Technology Group.

TagsUniversity of Sussex, quantum computers, trapped-ion quantum computer, Professor Winfried Hensinger