Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors
Heifer International



Home > Press > Developing reliable quantum computers

This is an illustration: Quantum Optics and Statistics.
CREDIT
University of Freiburg
This is an illustration: Quantum Optics and Statistics. CREDIT University of Freiburg

Abstract:
Quantum computers may one day solve algorithmic problems which even the biggest supercomputers today can't manage. But how do you test a quantum computer to ensure it is working reliably? Depending on the algorithmic task, this could be an easy or a very difficult certification problem. An international team of researchers has taken an important step towards solving a difficult variation of this problem, using a statistical approach developed at the University of Freiburg. The results of their study are published in the latest edition of Nature Photonics.

Developing reliable quantum computers

Freiburg, Germany | Posted on February 22nd, 2018

Their example of a difficult certification problem is sorting a defined number of photons after they have gone through a defined arrangement of several optical elements. The arrangement provides each photon with a number of transmission paths - depending on whether the photon is reflected or transmitted by an optical element. The task is to predict the probability of photons leaving the arrangement at defined points, for a given positioning of the photons at the entrance to the arrangement. With increasing size of the optical arrangement and increasing numbers of photons sent on their way, the number of possible paths and distributions of the photons at the end rises steeply as a result of the uncertainty principle which underlies quantum mechanics - so that there can be no prediction of the exact probability using the computers available to us today. Physical principles say that different types of particle - such as photons or electrons - should yield differing probability distributions. But how can scientists tell these distributions and differing optical arrangements apart when there is no way of making exact calculations?

An approach developed in Freiburg by researchers from Rome, Milan; Redmond, USA; Paris, and Freiburg now makes it possible for the first time to identify characteristic statistical signatures across unmeasurable probability distributions. Instead of a complete "fingerprint," they were able to distill the information from data sets which were reduced to make them usable. Using that information, they were able to discriminate various particle types and distinctive features of optical arrangements. The team also showed that this distillation process can be improved, drawing upon established techniques of machine learning, whereby physics provides the key information on which data set should be used to seek the relevant patterns. And because this approach becomes more accurate for bigger numbers of particles, the researchers hope that their findings take us a key step closer to solving the certification problem.

Further information:

•Mattia Walschaers (2016): Efficient quantum transport. Thesis, University of Freiburg and Springer Theses, upcoming (Springer Thesis Award 2017).
•Mattia Walschaers, Jack Kuipers, Juan-Diego Urbina, Klaus Mayer, Malte Christopher Tichy, Klaus Richter and Andreas Buchleitner (2016): Statistical benchmark for BosonSampling. In: New Journal of Physics 18.
•Mattia Walschaers, Frank Schlawin, Thomas Wellens and Andreas Buchleitner (2016): Quantum transport on disordered and noisy networks: an interplay of structural complexity and uncertainty. In: Annual Review of Condensed Matter Physics 7, S. 223-248.

####

For more information, please click here

Contacts:
Dr. Andreas Buchleitner

49-761-203-5830

Copyright © University of Freiburg

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related Links

Publication:

Related News Press

News and information

Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life March 8th, 2024

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

Two-dimensional bimetallic selenium-containing metal-organic frameworks and their calcinated derivatives as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

Possible Futures

Two-dimensional bimetallic selenium-containing metal-organic frameworks and their calcinated derivatives as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Quantum Computing

Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024

Physicists ‘entangle’ individual molecules for the first time, hastening possibilities for quantum information processing: In work that could lead to more robust quantum computing, Princeton researchers have succeeded in forcing molecules into quantum entanglement December 8th, 2023

World’s first logical quantum processor: Key step toward reliable quantum computing December 8th, 2023

Optical-fiber based single-photon light source at room temperature for next-generation quantum processing: Ytterbium-doped optical fibers are expected to pave the way for cost-effective quantum technologies November 3rd, 2023

Discoveries

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024

High-tech 'paint' could spare patients repeated surgeries March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Announcements

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Interviews/Book Reviews/Essays/Reports/Podcasts/Journals/White papers/Posters

Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life March 8th, 2024

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE




  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More











ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project