Quantum Processor Calculates That 15 = 3x5 (With Almost 50% Accuracy!)
For the first time, a functional solid-state quantum computer has completed a fairly simple math problem, factoring a prime number into its constituent parts. The solution itself isn't that great an accomplishment - it was the number 15 - but it's a major leap for quantum computers, because it's a step toward factoring much larger numbers. Factoring very large numbers very quickly is crucial for cybersecurity. Researchers led by PhD graduate Erik Lucero of the University of California-Santa Barbara built a quantum processor to map the number 15. The team built a quantum circuit made of four superconducting qubits, which are the logic gates of a quantum system, on top of a substrate made of sapphire. It also contained five microwave resonators. The fabrication itself was a breakthrough, because organizing nine separate quantum pieces required very precise, automated construction methods. The qubits were entangled and verified using quantum experiments. Then the...