Traditional computers process data called binary bits as either a zero or a one. The bits in quantum computers (called qubits) can be both one and zero simultaneously, raising the potential processing power exponentially. This ability enables quantum computers to simultaneously explore several possibilities when traditional computers have to run each option one at a time.

There are several different ways to build a quantum computer, and the technology is so new nobody knows whats best yet. Scientists are still working out how to make them meet expectations and be of practical use. The goal is to achieve quantum supremacy (aka quantum advantage) when a quantum computer vastly outperforms a conventional machine on a given task.

Google was the first to achieve quantum supremacy in 2019. The company claims that its 53-qubit Sycamore processor performed a computation within 200 seconds. That same task would have taken the worlds most powerful supercomputer 10,000 years. The Sycamore is based on qubits represented by superconducting materials.

This year, a China team developed a photon-based quantum computer that demonstrated quantum supremacy the second group to do so since Google. The device (called Jiuzhang) is made to carry out a single specific type of calculation Gaussian boson sampling. It performed so well that it conducted a calculation in 200 seconds that would have taken the worlds best supercomputer 2.5 billion years to complete. Thats over half the age of Earth!

Jian-Wei Pan, a scientist from the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei, said:

We have shown that we can use photons, the fundamental unit of light, to demonstrate quantum computational power well beyond the classical counterpart. The calculation that they carried out called the boson-sampling problem is not just a convenient vehicle for demonstrating quantum advantage, but has potential practical applications in graph theory, quantum chemistry, and machine learning.

Physicist Ian Walmsley at Imperial College London said:

This is certainly a tour de force experiment and an important milestone.

If the team can build a programmable chip with such power, several crucial computational problems could be solved, such as how molecules vibrate and how proteins dock to one another.

Other quantum news coming from China includes a team of scientists who have achieved quantum communication by satellites. They successfully sent a quantum-encrypted message hundreds of miles further than anyones ever sent one before.

Meanwhile, in the US, a startup called IonQ revealed its next-generation quantum computer system that will be available for purchase soon, and quantum physicists working for the Department of Energy are on the verge of developing a quantum internet. Quantum teleportation is also in the works in New York, with a team recently managing to transport massless particles (photons) and particles of matter (electrons).

See the original post:

Quantum Computer Completed A 2.5-Billion-Year Task In 200 Seconds - Intelligent Living

SCOTLAND has the expertise to potentially equal tech giants like IBM, Google and Intel in the race to develop next-generation computing technologies, scientists believe.

The universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Strathclyde have collaborated to form a new national centre that brings together internationally-recognised experts in hardware, software and application development for quantum computing a sector predicted to be worth $65 billion by 2030.

The new Scottish Centre for Innovation in Quantum Computing and Simulation has received funding from the Scottish Government to explore inward investment opportunities.

Quantum computers process information using the properties of tiny microscopic particles or nanoelectronic circuits making them exponentially more powerful than traditional computers. Tech giants including IBM, Google, Microsoft, Intel and Amazon are investing millions of dollars in developing the worlds first workable quantum computers.

Last October, Google announced that its quantum computer took three minutes and 20 seconds to solve a problem that would have taken the worlds fastest supercomputer around 10,000 years to complete.

There are problems that even the worlds biggest supercomputers are unable to solve, said Andrew Daley, a professor of quantum computing at the University of Strathclyde. For example, how to optimise traffic flow by controlling motorways in various places; how to maximise fuel efficiency when big aircraft take off or how to invest in stocks for the maximum reward and minimum risk. Because we can do computing in a very different way on a quantum computer, these are the kinds of things we believe we may be able to do that we can't do on a traditional computer.

Scottish universities are major beneficiaries of the UK governments 1 billion UK National Quantum Technologies Programme, a 10-year drive to put the UK at the forefront of quantum technology research and commercialisation.

Edinburgh University already hosts the UKs 79m national supercomputer and is one of the partners in a 10m project to develop the UKs first commercial quantum computer.

Strathclyde Universitys quantum computing research includes a 10m industry-led project addressing technology barriers to scaling quantum hardware. And Glasgow Universitys projects include being part of a 7m UK consortium aimed at commercialising quantum technologies.

Ivan McKee, Scottish trade, investment and innovation minister, said: This joint project between the universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Strathclyde seeks to position Scotland as the go-to location for quantum computing and has the potential to attract significant international research funding and create jobs.

It also provides a model of collaboration which could be applied in other sectors to attract inward investment and boost Scotlands economy.

The Scottish Government funding will finance a feasibility study into inward investment opportunities in quantum computing. These might include partnerships with major technology companies, institutions or countries who already have their own quantum computing programmes.

Microsoft, for example, has quantum computing partnerships with universities and other places in the world, Professor Daley said. There are large centres of quantum computing in Singapore and in the Netherlands at Delft University. The German and US governments have also created clusters in quantum computing and other quantum technologies.

Professor Elham Kashefi, who leads the quantum team at Edinburgh Universitys School of Informatics, believes the new centre could help unlock the potential of quantum tech in an unprecedented way.

She added: Perhaps such a dream could be only achieved at large corporates like IBM, Microsoft, Amazon or Google. Yet I believe the flexibility that the centre could afford as a research institute, compared to a fully business-driven programme, could be the very fundamental bridge that our field desperately needs.

Martin Weides, professor of quantum technologies at Glasgow Universitys James Watt School of Engineering, said: Theres now an international race to realise practical technologies and applications for quantum computing. I believe the Scottish Centre for Innovation in Quantum Computing and Simulation will bring together the strong academic excellence at the three founding universities to give Scotland the edge to develop a vibrant quantum ecosystem.

Read more from the original source:

University collaboration gives Scotland the edge in global quantum computing race - HeraldScotland

Jiuzhang, a quantum computer prototype developed at the University of Science and Technology of China, represents such a giant leap forward in computing that just 200 seconds of its time dedicated to a specific task would equal 600 million years of computing time for today's current most powerful supercomputer.

On Dec 4, Science magazine announced a major breakthrough made by a team from USTC headed by renowned physicist Pan Jianwei. The team had jointly developed a 76-photon Jiuzhang, realizing an initial milestone on the path to full-scale quantum computing.

This quantum computational advantage, also known as "quantum supremacy", established China's leading position in the sphere of quantum computing research in the world.

USTC has produced a string of wonders: Sending Wukong, China-'s first dark matter particle explorer, and Mozi, the world's first quantum communication satellite, into space; and witnessing the National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory sending off light from the Hefei Light Source.

During the past 50 years, USTC has made significant achievements in the fields of quantum physics, high-temperature superconductivity, thermonuclear fusion, artificial intelligence and nanomaterials.

Technology is the foundation of a country's prosperity, while innovation is the soul of national progress.

Since 1970, when USTC was relocated to Hefei, Anhui province, it has focused on research and innovation, targeting basic and strategic work in a bid to fulfill its oath to scale "the peak of sciences".

The large number of world-renowned innovative achievements shined glory on USTC, exhibiting its courage to innovate, daring to surpass its peers and unremitting pursuit of striving to be a top university in the world.

Although USTC was set up only 62 years ago, it established the country's first national laboratory and also the first national research center. It has obtained the largest number of achievements selected among China's Top 10 News for Scientific and Technological Progress each year since its founding.

Its reputation as an "important stronghold of innovation" has become stronger over the years.

While facing the frontiers of world science and technology, the main economic battlefield, the major needs of China and people's healthcare, USTC focuses on cultivating high-level scientific and technological innovation talents and teams, and shoulders national tasks.

It has used innovation to generate transformative technologies and develop strategic emerging industries, perfecting its ability to serve national strategic demand, and regional economic and social development.

Facing sci-tech frontiers

USTC has top disciplines covering mathematics, physics, chemistry, Earth and space sciences, biology and materials science. While based on basic research, USTC pays close attention to cutting-edge exploration, encouraging innovative achievements.

Serving major needs

In response to major national needs, USTC has led and participated in a number of significant scientific and technological projects that showcase the nation's strategic aims.

For example, sending the Mozi satellite and Wukong probe into space. Meanwhile, it also participated in the development of core components of Tiangong-2, China's first space lab, and Tianwen-1, the nation's first Mars exploration mission.

Main economic battlefield

In the face of economic and social development needs, USTC has balanced meeting national needs and boosting exploration in frontier spheres.

It has witnessed a series of innovative achievements in the fields of materials science, energy, environment, advanced manufacturing, AI, big data and security.

Safeguarding health

USTC's School of Life Sciences was founded in 1958 with emphasis on biophysics. In recent years, this flourished into many branches of biological sciences.

The new School of Life Sciences was established in Hefei in 1998. Based on its years of cultivation in the field of life sciences, the university has contributed much to China's medical science.

In 2020, the university developed the "USTC protocol" to treat COVID-19 patients, which has been introduced to more than 20 countries and regions.

More here:

Scaling the heights of quantum computing to deliver real results - Chinadaily.com.cn - China Daily

All cryptocurrencies are based on cryptography and require miners to solve extremely complex mathematical problems in order to secure the network. The idea behind quantum computing is that it will be able to crack Bitcoins algorithm much faster than the network.

The basic principle is that Bitcoins network has to be sufficiently fast in order for a quantum attacker to not have enough time to derive the private key of a specific public key before the network.

So far, it seems that quantum computers would take around 8 hours to derive a Bitcoin private key which, in theory, means the network is secure against them. It seems that the mark right now is around 10 minutes. If quantum computers can get close to this time, the Bitcoin network could be compromised.

Its also important to note that quantum computing not only poses a threat to Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies but to other platforms, even banks. Many platforms use encryption which would be broken if quantum computing becomes real, which means the implications of this technology go way beyond just cryptocurrencies.

Theoretically, cryptocurrencies have several ways to mitigate or completely stop quantum computing attacks in the future. For instance, a soft fork on the network of an asset could be enough to at least move some of the assets that are insecure.

Additionally, there are many algorithms that are theorized to be quantum-resistant. In fact, SHA-256 which is currently used should be resistant to these types of attacks. According to recent statistics, around 25% of Bitcoin in circulation remains vulnerable to quantum attacks. You should transfer your coins to a new p2pkh address to make sure they are safe.

More:

Bitcoin is quantum computing resistant regardless of rising fears among investors - FXStreet

Physicists have confirmed the existence of an extraordinary, flat particle that could be the key that unlocks quantum computing.

Get unlimited access to the weird world of Pop Mech.

What is the rare and improbable anyon, and how on Earth did scientists verify them?

[T]hese particle-like objects only arise in realms confined to two dimensions, and then only under certain circumstanceslike at temperatures near absolute zero and in the presence of a strong magnetic field, Discover explains.

Scientists have theorized about these flat, peculiar particle-like objects since the 1980s, and the very nature of them has made it sometimes seem impossible to ever verify them. But the qualities scientists believe anyons have also made them sound very valuable to quantum research and, now, quantum computers.

This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

The objects have many possible positions and "remember," in a way, what has happened. In a press release earlier this fall, Purdue University explains more about the value of anyons:

GeoSafari Jr. Microscope for Kids (3+)

$21.99

GeoSafari Jr. Talking Microscope for Kids (4+)

$66.43

Beginner Microscope for Kids

40X-1000X LED Illumination Lab Compound Monocular Microscope

SE306R-PZ-LED Forward-Mounted Binocular Stereo Microscope

$189.99

SE400-Z Professional Binocular Stereo Microscope

$223.99

LCD Digital Microscope

$79.99

Andonstar AD407 3D HDMI Soldering Digital Microscope

$279.99 (12% off)

Its these fractional charges that let scientists finally design the exact right experiments to shake loose the real anyons. A coin sorter is a good analogy for a lot of things, and this time is no different: scientists had to find the right series of sorting ideas in order to build one experimental setup that would, ultimately, only register the anyons. And having the unique quality of fractional charges gave them, at least, a beginning to work on those experiments.

A Quantum Leap in the Classical World

Following an April paper about using a miniature particle accelerator to notice anyons, in July, researchers from Purdue published their findings after using a microchip etched to route particles through a maze that phased out all other particles. The maze combined an interferometera device that uses waves to measure what interferes with themwith a specially designed chip that activates anyons at a state.

Purdue University

What results is a measurable phenomenon called anyonic braiding. This is surprising and good, because it confirms the particle-like anyons exhibit this particular particle behavior, and because braiding as a behavior has potential for quantum computing. Electrons also braid, but researchers werent certain the much weaker charge of anyons would exhibit the same behavior.

Braiding isnt just for electrons and anyons, either: photons do it, too. "Braiding is a topological phenomenon that has been traditionally associated with electronic devices," photon researcher Mikael Rechtsman said in October.

He continued:

Now, the quantum information toolkit includes electrons, protons, and what Discover calls these strange in-betweeners: the anyons.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

The rest is here:

This Incredible Particle Only Arises in Two Dimensions - Popular Mechanics

Monday markedtwo years since the passage of the National Quantum Initiative, or NQI Actand in that time, federal agencies followed through on its early calls and helped lay the groundwork for new breakthroughs across the U.S. quantum realm.

Now, the sights of those helping implement the law are set on the future.

I would say in five years, something we'd love to see is ... a better idea of, What are the applications for a quantum computer thats buildable in the next fiveto 10 years, that would be beneficial to society? the Office of Science and Technology Policy Assistant Director for Quantum Information Science Dr. Charles Tahan told Nextgov in an interview Friday. He also serves as the director of the National Quantum Coordination Officea cooperation-pushing hub established by the legislation.

Tahan reflected on some foundational moves made over the last 24 months and offered a glimpse into his teams big-ticket priorities for 2021.

Quantum devices and technologies are among an ever-evolving field that hones in on phenomena at the atomic scale. Potential applications are coming to light, and are expected to radically reshape science, engineering, computing, networking, sensing, communication and more. They offer promises like unhackable internet or navigation support in places disconnected from GPS.

Federal agencies have a long history of exploring physical sciences and quantum-related pursuitsbut previous efforts were often siloed. Signed by President Donald Trump in 2018, the NQI Act sought to provide for a coordinated federal program to accelerate quantum research and development for the economic and national security of America. It assigned specific jobs for the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Energy Department and National Science Foundation, among others, and mandated new collaborations to boost the nations quantum workforce talent pipeline and strengthen societys grasp of this relatively fresh area of investment. The functions of the National Quantum Coordination Office, or NQCO, were also set forth in the bill, and it was officially instituted in early 2019. Since then, the group has helped connect an array of relevant stakeholders and facilitate new initiatives proposed by the law.

Now, everything that's been called out in the act has been establishedits started up, Tahan explained. He noted the three agencies with weighty responsibilities spent 2019 planning out their courses of action within their communities, and this year, subsequently launched weighty new efforts.

One of the latest was unveiled in August by the Energy Department, which awarded $625 million over five yearssubject to appropriationsto its Argonne, Brookhaven, Fermi, Oak Ridge and Lawrence Berkeley national laboratories to establish QIS Research Centers. In each, top thinkers will link up to push forward collaborative research spanning many disciplines. Academic and private-sector institutions also pledged to provide $340 million in contributions for the work.

These are about $25 million eachthat's a tremendous amount of students, and postdocs, and researchers, Tahan said. And those are spread out across the country, focusing on all different areas of quantum: computing, sensing and networking.

NSF this summer also revealed the formation of new Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes to tackle fundamental research hurdles in quantum information science and engineering over the next half-decade. The University of Colorado, University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign, and University of California, Berkeley are set to head and house the first three institutes, though Tahan confirmed more could be launched next year. The initiative is backed by $75 million in federal fundingand while it will take advantage of existing infrastructures, non-governmental entities involved are also making their own investments and constructing new facilities.

That's the foundation, you know, Tahan said. The teams have been formed, the research plans have been writtenthat's a tremendous amount of workand now they're off actually working. So now, we start to reap the rewards because all the heavy lifting of getting people organized has been done.

Together with NSF, OSTP also helped set in motion the National Q-12 Education Partnership. It intends to connect public, private and academic sector quantum players and cohesively create and release learning materials to help U.S. educators produce new courses to engage students with quantum fields. The work is ultimately meant to spur K-12 students' interest in the emerging areas earlier into their education, and NSF will award nearly $1 million across QIS education efforts through the work.

And beyond the governments walls and those of academia, the NQI Act also presented new opportunities for industry. Meeting the laws requirements, NIST helped convene a consortium of cross-sector stakeholders to strategically confront existing quantum-related technology, standards and workforce gaps, and needs. This year, that groupthe Quantum Economic Development Consortium, or QED-Cbloomed in size, established a more formal membership structure and announced companies that make up its steering committee.

It took a year or more to get all these companies together and then write partnership agreements. So, that partnership agreement was completed towards the beginning of summer, and the steering committee signed it over the summer, and now there are I think 100 companies or so who have signed it, Tahan said. So, it's up and running. It's a real economic development consortiumthats a technical thingand that's a big deal. And how big it is, and how fast it's growing is really, really remarkable.

This fall also brought the launch of quantum.gov, a one-stop website streamlining federal work and policies. The quantum coordination office simultaneously released a comprehensive roadmap pinpointing crucial areas of needed research, deemed the Quantum Frontiers Report.

That assessment incorporates data collected from many workshops, and prior efforts OSTP held to promote the national initiative and establishes eight frontiers that contain core problems with fundamental questions confronting QIS today and must be addressed to push forward research and development breakthroughs in the space. They include expanding opportunities for quantum technologies to benefit society, characterizing and mitigating quantum errors, and more.

It tries to cut through the hype a little bit, Tahan explained. It's a field that requires deep technical expertise. So, it's easy to be led in the wrong direction if you don't have all the data. So we try to narrow it down into here are the important problems, here's what we really don't know, heres what we do know, and go this way, and that will, hopefully benefit the whole enterprise.

Quantum-focused strides have also been made by the U.S. on the international front. Tahan pointed to the first quantum cooperation agreement signed between America and Japan late last year, which laid out basic core values guiding their working together.

We've been using that as a model to engage with other countries. We've had high-level meetings with Australia, industry collaborations with the U.K., and we're engaging with other countries. So, that's progressing, Tahan said. Many countries are interested in quantum as you can guesstheres a lot of investments around the worldand many want to work with us on going faster together.

China had also made its own notable quantum investments (some predating the NQI Act), and touted new claims of quantum supremacy, following Google, on the global stage this year.

I wouldn't frame it as a competition ... We are still very much in the research phase here, and we'll see how those things pan out, Tahan said. I think we're taking the right steps, collectively. The U.S. ecosystem of companies, nonprofits and governments arebased on our strategy, both technical and policiesgoing in the right direction and making the right investments.

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris previously put forthlegislationto broadly advance quantum research, but at this point, the Biden administration hasnt publicly shared any intentions to prioritize government-steered ongoing or future quantum efforts.

[One of] the big things we're looking towards in the next year, is workforce development. We have a critical shortage or need for talent in this space. Its a very diverse set of skills. With these new centers, just do the math. How many students and postdocs are you going to need to fill up those, to do all that research? It's a very large number, Tahan said. And so we're working on something to create that pipeline.

In that light, the team will work to continue to develop NSFs ongoing, Q-12 partnership. Theyll also reflect on whats been built so far through the national initiative to identify any crucial needs that may have been looked over.

As you stand something up thats really big, you're always going to make some mistakes. What have you missed? Tahan noted.

And going forward, the group plans to hone deeper in on balancing the economic and security implications of the burgeoning fields.

As the technology gets more and more advanced, how do we be first to realize everything but also protect our investments? Tahan said. And getting that balance right is going to require careful policy thinking about how to update the way the United States does things.

Read the original post:

Two Years into the Government's National Quantum Initiative - Nextgov

DUBLIN and PARIS, Dec. 17, 2020 Atos today announces it will deliver its first GPU-acceleratedAtos Quantum Learning Machine Enhanced(Atos QLM E), the worlds highest-performing commercially available quantum simulator, to the Irish Centre for High-End Computing (ICHEC).

The Atos QLM E will be integrated with the Irish national supercomputer Kay and equipped with a variety of quantum software programming tools. As a hybrid HPC-Quantum Computing environment, the integrated Kay-Atos QLM E platform will serve theQuantum Programming Ireland (QPI) Initiativefor conducting R&D and national-level skills development activities in quantum technologies by ICHEC as well as other Irish organizations in academic, enterprise and public sector.

Offering up to 12 times more computation speed than the original Atos QLM, the Atos QLM E is also an integral component of the NEASQC project, in the 1 bn European flagship quantum initiative, of which Ireland is a partner along with 11 other European companies and research labs, andcoordinated by Atos.

Once the Atos QLM E is delivered on-premise, Atos will provide a fast-track training program and continue to enhance the system throughout its lifetime to ensure that it delivers the functionality required in this fast-moving discipline of quantum computing.

Prof. Jean-Christophe (JC) Desplat, Director at ICHEC, said:As Irelands high performance computing authority, were committed to using the power of technology to solve some of the toughest challenges across public, academic and enterprise sectors. Working with a number of partners across Europe, we look forward to utilizing the Atos QLM E related for R&D on a number of scientific and industry-relevant quantum computing use-casesand supporting scientific breakthroughs in high-performance computing.

Agns Boudot, Senior Vice President, Head of HPC & Quantum at Atos, said:As the first Atos QLM E deployed globally, this partnership marks an important milestone in our Quantum Program. We look forward to supporting ICHEC on their quantum journey, helping them explore with their users the huge potential that quantum computing offers. The solution will provide a scalable, future-proof, national framework for the porting of hybrid applications, and for the training and skills development of Irish researchers, and ICHECs partners across Europe.

Atos QLM E has been optimized to drastically reduce the simulation time of hybrid classical-quantum algorithms simulations, leading to quicker progress in application research.

Atos, a pioneer in quantum

In 2016, Atos launched Atos Quantum an ambitiousprogram to anticipate the future of quantum computing. As a result of this initiative,Atos was the first organization to offer aquantum noise simulation modulewithin its Atos QLM offer. Atos QLM is being used in numerous countries worldwide includingAustria,Finland,France,Germany,India, Italy,Japan,the Netherlands, Senegal,UKand theUnited States, empowering major research programs in various sectors like industry orenergy. Recently, Atos introduced Q-score, the first universal quantum metrics reference, applicable to all programmable quantum processors.

Source: Atos

Read more:

Atos Delivers Its First GPU-Accelerated Quantum Learning Machine to the Irish Centre for High-End Computing - HPCwire

By GREGORY ZELLER //

The Stony Brook University scientist who came in from the cold is getting some serious chills and this time, hes really got something to cryo about.

Slowa Solovyov, a multi-patented, 23-year veteran of U.S. Department of Energy collaborations, is diving into the coldest environments man can create on a quest to improve quantum-level efficiencies. The longtime SBU adjunct professor of electrical engineering is flipping the switch on Next Cryo, a startup enterprise focused on reducing quantum-computing losses through the composition of new materials and the application of some truly frigid temperatures.

Trained at the Moscow Institute for Physics and Technology (masters degree in applied physics) and Ukraines G.V. Kurdyumov Institute for Metal Physics (PhD in solid-state physics), Solovyov is no rookie entrepreneur: In 2015, along with Brookhaven Technology Group President Paul Farrell, he launched NextSwitch, an ambitious startup focused on high-temperature superconductivity.

High-temperature superconductivity is slightly misleading high references temperatures above 77 degrees Kelvin (roughly minus 321 degrees Fahrenheit), which is frosty on your skin but the boiling point of liquid nitrogen, a primary cryogenics coolant.

Cold-blooded: Slowa Solovyov, with cryogenics coursing through his veins.

When you operate in the quantum world, you want to reduce noise and temperature is what makes noise, Solovyov noted. Temperature destroys connections between quanta, or information.

With his new startup, Mr. Freeze will really chill out. The typical MRI machine operates around absolute zero (about minus 460 degrees Fahrenheit), but quantum computers turn things down significantly from there, operating at temperatures about 50 times lower, according to Solovyov.

The innovator envisions the commercialization of cutting-edge materials that not only allow quantum computers to do their thing with reduced quanta degradation, but could benefit multiple sciences where cold is hot, including superconducting magnets, fusion reactors and other cutting-edge tech.

Upon launch, scheduled for January 2021, Next Cryos basic plan is simple: materials preparation and testing at SBUs Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center, validation at Brookhaven National Laboratory (Solovyov is an old friend) and a series of customer pilots with major quantum-computing companies, according to the scientist, with on-point customer feedback eventually informing a breakthrough product.

The startup a client of SBUs Clean Energy Business Incubator Program, along with the Brookhaven Technology Group should have a good idea of what the product will look like by this time next year, Solovyov added.

There are a lot of different solutions and approaches, he said. But what the product should actually look like is the goal of this customer-discovery process.

Next Cryo

Whats It? Next-gen R&D focused on improving super-cold supercomputing

Brought To You By: From-Russia-with-doctorates Stony Brook University adjunct Slowa Solovyov, whos bundled up before

Status: Cooling off for a hot start in 2021

Go here to see the original:

With Next Cryo, a startup that's really cooling its jets - Innovate Long Island - Innovate Long Island

Dec. 18, 2020 Super-fast quantum computers and communication devices could revolutionize countless aspects of our livesbut first, researchers need a fast, efficient source of the entangled pairs of photons such systems use to transmit and manipulate information. Researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology have done just that, not only creating a chip-based photon source 100 times more efficient that previously possible, but bringing massive quantum device integration within reach.

Its long been suspected that this was possible in theory, but were the first to show it in practice, said Yuping Huang, Gallagher associate professor of physics and director of the Center for Quantum Science and Engineering.

To createphoton pairs, researchers trap light in carefully sculpted nanoscale microcavities; as light circulates in the cavity, its photons resonate and split into entangled pairs. But theres a catch: at present, such systems are extremely inefficient, requiring a torrent of incoming laser light comprising hundreds of millions of photons before a single entangled photon pair will grudgingly drip out at the other end.

Huang and colleagues at Stevens have now developed a new chip-based photon source thats 100 times more efficient than any previous device, allowing the creation of tens of millions of entangled photon pairs per second from a single microwatt-powered laser beam.

This is a huge milestone for quantum communications, said Huang, whose work will appear in the Dec. 17 issue ofPhysical Review Letters.

Working with Stevens graduate students Zhaohui Ma and Jiayang Chen, Huang built on his laboratorys previous research to carve extremely high-quality microcavities into flakes of lithium niobate crystal. The racetrack-shaped cavities internally reflect photons with very little loss of energy, enabling light to circulate longer and interact with greater efficiency.

By fine-tuning additional factors such as temperature, the team was able to create an unprecedentedly bright source of entangled photon pairs. In practice, that allows photon pairs to be produced in far greater quantities for a given amount of incoming light, dramatically reducing the energy needed to power quantum components.

The team is already working on ways to further refine their process, and say they expect to soon attain the true Holy Grail of quantum optics: a system with that can turn a single incoming photon into an entangled pair of outgoing photons, with virtually no waste energy along the way. Its definitely achievable, said Chen. At this point we just need incremental improvements.

Until then, the team plans to continue refining their technology, and seeking ways to use theirphotonsource to drive logic gates and other quantum computing or communication components. Because this technology is already chip-based, were ready to start scaling up by integrating other passive or active optical components, explained Huang.

The ultimate goal, Huang said, is to make quantum devices so efficient and cheap to operate that they can be integrated into mainstream electronic devices. We want to bring quantum technology out of the lab, so that it can benefit every single one of us, he explained. Someday soon we want kids to have quantum laptops in their backpacks, and were pushing hard to make that a reality.

More information:Ultrabright quantum photon sources on chip,Physical Review Letters(2020).arxiv.org/abs/2010.04242,journals.aps.org/prl/accepted/ da6c4d64a454565839ae

Source: Stevens Institute of Technology

Continue reading here:

Chip-Based Photon Source Is 100X More Efficient than Previous, Bringing Quantum Integration Within Reach - HPCwire

Economic Security Planning, Inc.

Today's column addresses questions about spousal benefits before delayed retirement credits at 70, potential effects on Social Security benefits of the WEP and the GPO due to receiving a public pension and what happens to other benefits drawn on a person's record when child benefits end. Larry Kotlikoff is a Professor of Economics at Boston University and the founder and president of Economic Security Planning, Inc, which markets Maximize My Social Security and MaxiFi Planner.

See more Ask Larry answers here.

Have Social Security questions of your own youd like answered? Ask Larry about Social Security here.

Will Changes In The Full Retirement Age Reduce My Social Security Benefit At 70?

Hi Larry I turn 68 January 2021 and I was planning on waiting until 70 to start drawing my Social Security retirement benefits. I currently receive my spousal benefit, which is relatively small. My wife retired at 62. Will my age 70 Social Security benefit be reduced due to all these changes of full retirement age I've heard about? Thanks, Jonathan

Hi Jonathan, Your own Social Security retirement benefit amount won't be reduced as a result of the fact that you've been drawing spousal benefits. Nothing has changed with regard to Social Security regulations that would affect your ability to wait and claim your full rate at 70 when you reach that age. Your full retirement age (FRA) is 66, so if you wait until the month you turn 70 to start drawing your retirement benefits, you'll receive four full years of delayed retirement credits (DRCs). That will make your benefit rate 32% higher than if you'd started drawing your retirement benefits at FRA. Best, Larry

Is It True That My Social Security Amount Will Be Reduced If I Receive PERS Retirement?

Hi Larry, I am a retired NV teacher in the marvelous PERS retirement system. I worked enough summer jobs and NV National Guard to qualify for about $900 when I turn 66 years and two months old. The rumor mill out here claims that Ill only get about $300 monthly from Social Security because Im receiving PERS money. Please, tell me the rumor mill is wrong. Thanks, Chuck

Hi Chuck, Your monthly Social Security retirement benefit rate won't be reduced by as much as $600 because of your PERS pension, but it sounds like it will almost certainly be reduced significantly due to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). The WEP can cause a person's Social Security retirement benefit rate to be calculated using a less generous calculation formula if they receive a pension based on their work and earnings that were exempt from Social Security taxes.

I don't have enough information to be able to give you an idea of how much your Social Security rate may be reduced, but you may want to consider using my company's software Maximize My Social Security or MaxiFi Planner to analyze your options so that you can determine the best strategy for maximizing your benefits. Our software is fully capable of handling WEP computations as well as the Government Pension Offset (GPO) that could also come into play if you receive auxiliary or survivor benefits based on another person's Social Security record. Social Security calculators provided by other companies or non-profits may provide proper suggestions if they were built with extreme care. Best, Larry

What Happens When My Son's Benefits End?

Hi Larry, My last son is turning 18 in January and his Social Security benefits will end. What happens to the money and does it come back to me or does it just end? Thanks, Rita

Hi Rita, Your son's benefits will simply stop being paid when he's no longer eligible. Child benefits paid from the record of a living parent are auxiliary benefits. In other words, they are an extra benefit paid in addition to the parent's own retirement benefit rate. Auxiliary benefits are only paid if an eligible family member qualifies for such benefits.

The payment of auxiliary benefits does not reduce the benefit amount payable to the worker whose record the benefits are paid from. Therefore, since your son's benefits had no effect on your benefit rate in the first place, your benefit rate won't change as a result of your son's payments stopping. Best, Larry

Read more here:
Ask Larry: Will Changes In The Full Retirement Age Reduce My Social Security Benefit At 70? - Forbes