# 'Quantum computer' a stage closer with silicon breakthrough



## Harpo (Jun 25, 2010)

'Quantum computer' a stage closer with silicon breakthrough

*The remarkable ability of an electron to exist in two  places at once has been controlled in the most common electronic  material - silicon - for the first time. The research findings -  published in Nature by a UK-Dutch team from the University of  Surrey, UCL (University College) London, Heriot-Watt University in  Edinburgh, and the FOM Institute for Plasma Physics near Utrecht - marks  a significant step towards the making of an affordable "quantum  computer".* 
 								 	 		 						    	      	   	   	  								 								  								 	According to the research paper in _Nature_ the  scientists have created a simple version of Schrodinger's cat - which is  paradoxically simultaneously both dead and alive - in the cheap and  simple material out of which ordinary computer chips are made.
 "This is a real breakthrough for modern electronics and has huge  potential for the future," explained Professor Ben Murdin, Photonics  Group Leader at the University of Surrey. "Lasers have had an ever  increasing impact on technology, especially for the transmission of  processed information between computers, and this development  illustrates their potential power for processing information inside the  computer itself.  In our case we used a far-infrared, very short, high  intensity pulse from the Dutch FELIX laser to put an electron orbiting  within silicon into two states at once - a so-called quantum superposition state. We then demonstrated  that the superposition state could be controlled so that the electrons  emit a burst of light at a well-defined time after the superposition was  created. The burst of light is called a photon echo; and its  observation proved we have full control over the quantum state of the atoms."
 And the development of a silicon based "quantum computer" may be only  just over the horizon. "Quantum computers can solve some problems much  more efficiently than conventional computers - and they will be  particularly useful for security because they can quickly crack existing  codes and create un-crackable codes," Professor Murdin continued. "The  next generation of devices must make use of these superpositions to do  quantum computations. Crucially our work shows that some of the quantum  engineering already demonstrated by atomic physicists in very  sophisticated instruments called cold atom traps, can be implemented in  the type of silicon chip used in making the much more common  transistor."
 Professor Gabriel Aeppli, Director of the London Centre for  Nanotechnology added that the findings were highly significant to  academia and business alike. "Next to iron and ice, silicon is the most  important inorganic crystalline solid because of our tremendous ability  to control electrical conduction via chemical and electrical means," he  explained. "Our work adds control of quantum superpositions to the  silicon toolbox."


 									 									 									 									Provided by University College London


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## AstroDude (Jun 26, 2010)

Yeah, but these are also "super-expensive" computers.


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## Doctor Crankenstein (Jun 26, 2010)

From what I gather this sound pretty similar to the multi-verse theory which does a pretty good job of explaining why a photon of light appears to be able to go through both slits in Young’s double-slit experiment and produce a diffraction pattern.


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## Vertigo (Nov 25, 2016)

Sussex university has apparently made a new breakthrough towards building the first quantum computer: Quantum computing breakthrough: UK scientists develop technique to greatly simplify trapped ions


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## hitmouse (Nov 26, 2016)

It has been possible to register and log into an IBM quantum computer for several months now. My 14 year old had fun messing around on this over the Summer. Some very good tutorials for the logically minded:

IBM Research Quantum Experience


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## J Riff (Nov 26, 2016)

Wowee, it's the future. I am starting a band, called 'Photon Echo'. First song - _Cold Atom Trap_. Great stuff, thanks.)


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## Vertigo (Nov 29, 2016)

hitmouse said:


> It has been possible to register and log into an IBM quantum computer for several months now. My 14 year old had fun messing around on this over the Summer. Some very good tutorials for the logically minded:
> 
> IBM Research Quantum Experience


My understanding is that the IBM one is not a 'real' quantum computer and that there has not actually been a genuine quantum computer built yet. I may well be wrong but that was my understanding. I believe the existing ones are more of a simulation.


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## SilentRoamer (Nov 29, 2016)

Vertigo is correct.

Quantum computers have never been proved to exist - DWave solutions marketed a Quantum Computer but it just did not stand up to rigorous peer reviewed scrutiny.

I expect Quantum computers are the computing equivalent of Fusion - we will always be 20 years away.


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## BAYLOR (Nov 29, 2016)

I wonder if it would make true AI's possible.


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## J Riff (Nov 29, 2016)

True AIs would not be computers, they would have to go organic and then look out, they could come up thru the loo like starving rats. Just my opinion. *


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## BAYLOR (Nov 29, 2016)

J Riff said:


> True AIs would not be computers, they would have to go organic and then look out, they could come up thru the loo like starving rats. Just my opinion. *



In that case I would welcome our new AI Rat masters.


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## Vertigo (Nov 30, 2016)

As we start to see more and more quantum effects in biological processes and neural processes in particular, like, for example, bird navigation, I think quantum computers are probably the only way we might ever create artificial intelligence at least if by that we mean artificial sentience.


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## Stewart Hotston (Nov 30, 2016)

One of my friends did her PhD on why true quantum computing is impossible. The physics has moved on since then but we're still a long way from a truly universal quantum processor of any kind even if research into it is driving a huge number of other innovations, including deepening our understanding of the mechanics of the waveform etc.


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## Stewart Hotston (Nov 30, 2016)

Vertigo said:


> As we start to see more and more quantum effects in biological processes and neural processes in particular, like, for example, bird navigation, I think quantum computers are probably the only way we might ever create artificial intelligence at least if by that we mean artificial sentience.



there are a small number of people (I'm one of them) who think that quantum processes are vital to the emergence of consciousness but we're a little bit like people in the desert because there's no evidence for this. Indeed the scale of quantum processes is generally accepted to be too small and short for the brain's own observed operations. However, there are a number of reasons such crude comparisons and their attendant conclusions are incorrect - as a number of macro-observable quantum effects witness too. Yet, for the time being, although it has much appeal it does not have much substance.

Of course, the other question here is whether sentience demands intelligence or consciousness. (indeed whether any of them individually require the other two)


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## SilentRoamer (Nov 30, 2016)

True AI already exists - Googles AI project is learning how to decode languages using computational techniques which even the programmers are finding hard to parse.

This needs to make a clear distinction though between AI and sentient AI. AI has existed for a while and is becoming increasingly complex - within the bounds of its programming limitations, sentient AI is the next logical step.

Maybe if Googles AI gets hit with lightning? Always works in the movies....


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## Stephen Palmer (Nov 30, 2016)

Consciousness is the key. (See also my novels _Beautiful Intelligence_ and _No Grave For A Fox._)


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## SilentRoamer (Nov 30, 2016)

Stephen Palmer said:


> Consciousness is the key. (See also my novels _Beautiful Intelligence_ and _No Grave For A Fox._)



Yeah if we could only figure out what consciousness actually is?

My guess is that consciousness and the human brain are essentially part of the same thing and that consciousness is tied to the physical structure of the brain.

I think Asimov had a similar idea hence the concept of Positronic brains.


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## Stewart Hotston (Nov 30, 2016)

@SilentRoamer if you can answer this, a nobel awaits. For me at least it's the dingy floating on top of the ocean that is the physical/mechanical process of being alive. it's inevitable in that in order to have a proper reflexive/recursive feedback system that's both adaptive but also reflective you need a central hub that is able to process inputs and experience, slide them into the context of memory and then also provide additional context for a social creature such as humanity.

one of my favourite philosophers/works on this, although not strictly about consciousness, is Self as Agent by John McMurray.


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## Stephen Palmer (Nov 30, 2016)

SilentRoamer said:


> Yeah if we could only figure out what consciousness actually is?



That's pretty much been sorted out.


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## RJM Corbet (Dec 3, 2016)

SilentRoamer said:


> Yeah if we could only figure out what consciousness actually is? ...



Sounds a bit like a flea believing it can figure out the dog it lives on.
Sorry


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## J Riff (Dec 3, 2016)

'Sentient' AI would have it's own agenda, I don't trust it already. It can't be human, and probably won't like us, for many reasons, and oh nevermind. )


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## BAYLOR (Dec 4, 2016)

J Riff said:


> 'Sentient' AI would have it's own agenda, I don't trust it already. It can't be human, and probably won't like us, for many reasons, and oh nevermind. )



The greatest danger that sentient AI's pose is that in elections they vote Republican.


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## SilentRoamer (Dec 5, 2016)

RJM Corbet said:


> Sounds a bit like a flea believing it can figure out the dog it lives on.
> Sorry



I totally agree - we are blind to almost most of our own cognitive functions at the moment. It's one (amongst many) reasons why even as someone who fully believes in the scientific method I think there are mysteries that are beyond humans - not just beyond our current understanding but beyond what our current understanding can ever become (whilst we are three dimensional physical matter beings anyway).

I think there may be hope for the future though - we're one smart flea!


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## Stephen Palmer (Dec 5, 2016)

SilentRoamer said:


> I totally agree - we are blind to almost most of our own cognitive functions at the moment. It's one (amongst many) reasons why even as someone who fully believes in the scientific method I think there are mysteries that are beyond humans - not just beyond our current understanding but beyond what our current understanding can ever become (whilst we are three dimensional physical matter beings anyway).



This is one answer to the 'hard problem of consciousness' as it is known, but not imo the way forward.


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