Photon Quantum Computer

by+Li+Zhuoxi

On May 3， 2017， Pan Jian- wei， academician from the University of Science and Technology of China （USTC）， announced in Shanghai that Chinas scientific and technological research team had made a photon quantum computer based on a single photon， the first globally to eclipse classical models. Pan demonstrated its computing power， which is expected to lay a solid foundation for further quantum computing and eventually push traditional computers towards obsolescence.

Quantum computers perform ultra-fast parallel calculation and simulation capabilities by exploiting quantum interference and superposition principles. Some use an analogy comparing a traditional computer to a bike， which would make a quantum computer like an airplane. Experimental measurements show that the sampling speed of the prototype increases at least 24，000 times over its international counterparts. It is better at tackling large-scale computing puzzles in cryptoanalysis， weather forecasting， pharmaceutical design， analytical finance and oil exploration.

This computer was jointly developed by the USTC， CAS-Alibaba Quantum Company Laboratory， Zhejiang University and the Institute of Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences （CAS）. The great success of the prototype is only the first step towards realizing the dream of putting the theory into practice. Experts predict that by 2025， quantum computers will run as fast as todays leading supercomputers， and solve many major problems that currently seem insurmountable.