How a string of giant atoms might bring quantum computers to physics labs
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When it comes to quantum mechanics, I try to avoid writing about purely theoretical results. This is especially true of quantum computing, where, in the not-too-distant past, every researcher and their dog would put their names to papers describing a new way to make a quantum computer. Then people started playing with the real thing, and suddenly the theory-side held fewer attractions. But every now and again, one of these ideas makes me mash my hands on the keyboard.
Today, it's Rydberg atoms and how to make a quantum computer from them. It's a bit far-fetched but, given the detail of the calculations, probably something that will turn up in a couple of years. And when it turns up, it will not be like previous quantum computers, which started testing with one or two qubits. A Rydberg computer should start out at 10-12 qubits.
Rydberg atoms again?I recently reported on a story about how atoms could be trapped within a Rydberg atom. In that article, I described what a Rydberg atom is. Let me repeat myself here:
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