First Quantum Computing Gate on a Chip

An anonymous reader writes "After recent success in using quantum computing for superconducting qubits, researchers from Delft have formed the first Controlled-NOT quantum gate. 'A team has demonstrated a key ingredient of such a computer by using one superconducting loop to control the information stored on a second. Combined with other recent advances, the result may pave the way for devices of double the size in the next year or two--closer to what other quantum computing candidates have achieved, says physicist Hans Mooij of the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. Unlike today's computers, which process information in the form of 0s and 1s, a quantum computer would achieve new levels of power by turning bits into fuzzy quantum things called qubits (pronounced cue-bits) that are 0 and 1 simultaneously. In theory, quantum computers would allow hackers to crack today's toughest coded messages and researchers to better simulate molecules for designing new drugs and materials.'"

Double the size of a single not gate?

[Spazntwich]

I know grammar has been taking a hit in society as of late, but now even our computers are blatantly spewing out double negatives?

We're not in for an unrough ride, gentlemen.

Like in Borat?

[SilentOneNCW]

Not Jokes:

It's a Quantum Gate.... NOT!

They say that it works

[zmollusc]

but how can they test it when the output is always either 0, meh, pfft or 1?

Quantum gates?

[Mikachu]

They're opening the quantum gates now? They're insane! Who knows what might pour out of them... I hope they're at least doing it on the moon.

The future of the human race is up to one lone marine now. Thanks a lot, scientists.

In 20 (50?) years...

[Anonymous Coward]

Dude you're getting a Delft!

Re:Fuzzy qubits of unknown distinction?

[Joebert]

Tribbles & Qubits: The new Pacman

Re:Quantum states

[LighterShadeOfBlack]

but it was my understanding that there are 32 quantum states of electrons, not just on/off (1/0) like in the binary computer world. So, if we now have a quantum NOT gate, doesn't that mean there are 32 possible states of the NOT gate?

Well, yes and no...

*ba-dum-tsch* Thank you very much, I'll be here all week.

Used for what?

[symbolset]

At home you will use these for ever more sophisticated rendering of artificially intelligent virtual reality porn.

At work it will be more useful in the advanced simulation of a mechanical process for imprinting letter glyphs on sheets of wood fiber.

Re:They say that it works

[Joebert]

That's why they built a NOT gate, even if they failed, they'd still succeed.

Re:Double the size of a single not gate?

[Jazz13]

Rodney McKay steps through the resulting tear in space time and smacks you up the back of the head.

Re:A solid milestone...

[Schemat1c]

What is a quantum computer good for, anyway?

You could use it to store your recipes.

NOT Moore's Law

[VisceralLogic]

the result may pave the way for devices of double the size in the next year or two

Hmm, seems like they've successfully performed a NOT on Moore's law.

Imagine slashdot on a quantum server!

[EmbeddedJanitor]

You'd never know if an article was a dupe or not.

Wow. ?

[DoofusOfDeath]

This is awesome no it's not!

Re:A solid milestone...

[pdbaby]

Regex pedantry here, but you're being overly permissive - you allow semantically invalid words: as, ars & arss.

As a side-note, if you like hearing from your local regex pedant, please remember to donate g(ener|ratuit)ously: we survive only through your funding

...it's like I know I should be ticking 'Post Anonymously' but I just can't stop myself

Re:A solid milestone...

[afaik_ianal]

you allow semantically invalid words: as, ars & arss.

No they don't. The only matches are ass, ase, arss and arse, but your point still stands. When being a pedant, it's also polite to provide a correction. The regex they were after is: a(rse|ss).

...it's like I know I should be ticking 'Post Anonymously' but I just can't stop myself

At least tick "No Karma Bonus", please :).

Re:A solid milestone...

[tsa]

There will be a small market. I think the world needs only 5 or so quantum computers.

Re:A solid milestone...

[Cope57]

What is a quantum computer good for, anyway? So far all I've seen is cracking encryption and other stuff involving gigantic calculations. Is there anything in the mainstream market it'd be useful for, like sound/video processing?
Come to think of it, arithmetic encoding is a bit like encryption...

It was probably created to handle the high demands of the Microsoft Vista operating system.

Re:A solid milestone...

[Stefanwulf]

Or you could store the superposition of all possible recipes simultaneously. It would simply decohere into the one you wanted once you began cooking.

The trick is going to be figuring out the right first interaction to generate the recipe you're searching for.