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This New Discovery Could Put Quantum Computers Within Closer Reach


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Atomic clock transitions have been found to allow qubits to interact without interference.

Researchers at Florida State University's National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (MagLab) have found a way to dampen quantum bits' (qubits) susceptibility to magnetic disruptions, or "noise," using atomic clock transitions. The researchers say this breakthrough could help remove a major obstacle to workable quantum computers.

The MagLab team utilized carefully designed tungsten-oxide molecules containing a single magnetic holmium ion, and successfully maintained the coherent operation of a holmium qubit for 8.4 microseconds. MagLab Dorsa Komijani says that duration is potentially long enough for performing useful computational tasks.

Stephen Hill, director of the MagLab's Electron Magnetic Resonance Facility, says the next step is to use the same or similar molecules within devices that enable manipulation and read-out of an individual molecule. Once that is achieved, Hill says schemes must be produced that can address multiple qubits on an individual basis and switch the coupling between them on and off so quantum logic operations can be implemented. "It is this same issue of scalability that researchers working on other potential qubit systems are currently facing," he says.

From IDG News Service 
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Abstracts Copyright © 2016 Information Inc., Bethesda, Maryland, USA


 

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