PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Physicists find way to boot up quantum computers 72 times faster than previously possible

2014-06-23
(Press-News.org) Press the start button, switch on the monitor, grab a cup of coffee and off you go. That is pretty much how most us experience booting up a computer. But with a quantum computer the situation is very different. So far, researchers have had to spend hours making dozens of adjustments and fine calibrations in order to set up a chip with just five quantum bits so that it can be used for experimental work. (One quantum bit or 'qubit' is the quantum physical equivalent of a single bit in a conventional computer). Any small errors in the adjustment and calibration procedure and the chip would not work.

The problem is that, not unlike musical instruments, quantum computers react to small changes in the local environment. If, for example, it is a little warmer or a little colder or if the ambient air pressure is a little higher or a little lower than the day before then the complex network of qubits will no longer function – the computer is detuned and has to be readjusted before it can be used. 'Up until now, experimental quantum physicists have had to sit down each day and see how conditions have changed compared to the day before. They then had to remeasure each parameter and carefully recalibrate the chip,' explains Professor Wilhelm-Mauch, Professor for Theoretical Quantum and Solid-State Physics at Saarland University. Only a very small error rate of less than 0.1 percent is permissible when measuring ambient conditions. Frank Wilhelm-Mauch explains this sensitivity thus: 'That means that an error can occur in only one in a thousand measurements. If just two in a thousand measurements are in error, the software will be unable to correct for the errors and the quantum computer will not operate correctly.' With around 50 different parameters involved in the calibration process, one begins to get an idea of the sheer effort involved in calibrating a quantum computer.

Working together with his doctoral student, Wilhelm-Mauch began to consider a fundamentally new approach to the problem. 'We asked ourselves the question: Why is it necessary each and every day to understand how conditions differ from those of the day before?' The answer we eventually came up with was that it isn't necessary. What's important is that the setup procedure produces the right results. Why it produces the right results is not so relevant.' It was this pragmatic approach that underlay the work carried out by Wilhelm-Mauch and Egger. 'For the calibration procedure we used an algorithm from engineering mathematics, strictly speaking from the field of civil and structural engineering, as that's another area in which experiments are costly,' explains Professor Wilhelm-Mauch.

Using this technique, the two theoreticians were able to reduce the calibration error rate to below the required 0.1 percent threshold, while at the same time speeding up the calibration process from six hours to five minutes. The Saarbrücken methodology, which goes under the name Ad-HOC (Adaptive Hybrid Optimal Control), has now been subjected to rigorous testing by a group of experimental physicists from the University of California in Santa Barbara. Their experimental work is published in the issue of Physical Review Letters that also contains the Saarbrücken paper.

This development is of major importance for future experimental research into quantum computing. Physicists in quantum computing laboratories no longer have to spend hours every day preparing their system for just a short period of experimental work. 'As many of the parameters, such as temperature, light and air pressure do not remain stable during the long calibration phase, this can further shorten the time window in which the chip is running error-free and in which it can therefore be used for experiments,' says Wilhelm-Mauch, adding that the new method is scalable. Up until now, technical constraints have meant that experiments have been carried out using a single chip housing five qubits that perform the actual computational operations. The new method, in contrast, is not restricted to chips of this magnitude and can be applied to quantum processors of almost any size.

Frank Wilhelm-Mauch jokingly points out another appealing feature of the new methodology: 'Unlike the previous approach of manual calibration, our method is fully automated. The researcher really does just push a button like on a conventional computer. They can then go off to get themselves a coffee while the quantum computer boots up.' A major improvement in the life of experimental research scientists working in the field.

INFORMATION: Background information on quantum technology:

The fundamental principle of quantum technology is that a particle (e.g. an atom, electron or photon) can be in two quantum-mechanical states at the same time. This is referred to as a superposition of states. In a conventional computer, information is represented by bits with each bit assuming either the value 0 or 1. In a quantum computer, in contrast, information is carried by quantum bits (or 'qubits') with each qubit able to assume the values 0 or 1 or any combination ('superposition') of the two. One way of realizing a quantum computer is with a memory unit composed of atoms whose quantum states can be excited and manipulated in a controlled manner using laser light. Computational operations can then be performed simultaneously (or 'in parallel') on both parts of the superposition state (1 and 0). In the time it takes for a 32-bit conventional computer to process one of its 2 to the power of 32 possible states, a quantum computer can process all of these states in parallel. The quantum computer can therefore carry out computations orders of magnitude faster than a normal computer. However, quantum computing power can only be exploited for special problems for which appropriate quantum algorithms have been developed. In many of the superposition states, the quantum bits are 'entangled', which means that the superposition can only be described as a whole and not in terms of the independent states of the particles involved. However, both superposed and entangled states are highly sensitive to any interaction with their environment and rapidly lose their quantum character. For quantum computing, this means that a great deal of effort has to be put into screening the system from environmental influences. In another area of quantum technology, this sensitivity to environmental factors is being specifically exploited. In the field of quantum communication, confidential information can be encoded in the form of entangled or superposed states. Anyone endeavouring to access the information would end up destroying the quantum state and the attempted interception would be discovered.

More information on research into quantum computing at Saarland University is provided in the following press release (German only): http://idw-online.de/de/news570132

The research work Adaptive Hybrid Optimal Quantum Control for Imprecisely Characterized Systems was published on 20 June in the journal Physical Review Letters (DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.240503).

Press photographs are available at http://www.uni-saarland.de/Pressefotos and can be used at no charge. Please read and comply with the conditions of use.

Questions can be addressed to: Prof. Dr. Frank Wilhelm-Mauch
Tel.: +49 (0)681 302-3960
E-mail: fwm@physik.uni-saarland.de

Note for radio journalists: Studio-quality telephone interviews can be conducted with researchers at Saarland University using broadcast audio IP codec technology (IP direct dial or via the ARD node 106813020001). Interview requests should be addressed to the university's Press and Public Relations Office (+49 (0)681 302-2601 or -64091).


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

The first demonstration of a self-powered cardiac pacemaker

The first demonstration of a self-powered cardiac pacemaker
2014-06-23
Daejeon, Republic of Korea, June 23, 2014--As the number of pacemakers implanted each year reaches into the millions worldwide, improving the lifespan of pacemaker batteries has been of great concern for developers and manufacturers. Currently, pacemaker batteries last seven years on average, requiring frequent replacements, which may pose patients to a potential risk involved in medical procedures. A research team from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), headed by Professor Keon Jae Lee of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering ...

Have you been unlucky -- or are you just lazy?

2014-06-23
A new study from the interdisciplinary Interacting Minds Centre at Aarhus University examines the difference between American and Danish attitudes to welfare services. Even though the two countries are traditionally portrayed as being miles apart in this respect, the study concludes that the difference between the ways the two societies are organised is not due to fundamental differences in attitude about when the state should provide financial assistance for citizens. "The study challenges the conventional wisdom that we Danes are more inclined to play the Good Samaritan ...

New research proves gender bias extraordinarily prevalent in STEM careers

2014-06-23
NEW YORK — With everyone from the federal government to corporate America working to encourage more women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, you would think the doors would be wide open to women of all backgrounds. A new study from Columbia Business School shows that this could not be further from the truth and that gender bias among hiring managers in STEM fields is extraordinarily prevalent. "How Stereotypes Impair Women's Careers in Science," written by Ernesto Reuben, assistant professor of management at Columbia Business ...

We can eliminate the major tornado threat in Tornado Alley

We can eliminate the major tornado threat in Tornado Alley
2014-06-23
The annually recurring devastating tornado attacks in US Tornado Alley raise an important question: Can we eliminate the major tornado threat in Tornado Alley? Some people may claim that such a question is beyond imagination as people are powerless in facing violent tornadoes. However, according to Professor Rongjia Tao's recent publication in IJMPB, human beings are not powerless on this issue: if we build three east-west great walls in Tornado Alley, we will eliminate major tornado threat there forever. These walls can be built locally at high tornado risk areas to eliminate ...

Not even cell death can stop the alarm

Not even cell death can stop the alarm
2014-06-23
Even after a cell dies, components of the immune system remain active and continue to fuel inflammatory reactions. An international team of researchers under the direction of scientists from the Institute of Innate Immunity at the University Hospital of Bonn has discovered how this incredible form of communication works. The findings offer potentially novel approaches for therapies against many serious diseases that affect a large part of the population, such as gout, atherosclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. The exciting new results are now published in the renowned journal ...

LED phosphors: Better red makes brighter white

2014-06-23
Chemists at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich have developed a novel type of red phosphor material, which significantly enhances the performance of white-emitting LEDs. In cooperation with Dr. Peter Schmidt of Philips Technologie GmbH in Aachen, a team of researchers led by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schnick, who holds the Chair of Inorganic Solid-State Chemistry at LMU Munich, has developed a new material for application in light-emitting diodes (LEDs). "With its highly unusual properties, the new material has the potential to revolutionize the LED market," says ...

Magnetic fields to measure positions of ferromagnetic objects accurately

Magnetic fields to measure positions of ferromagnetic objects accurately
2014-06-23
Many creatures in nature, including butterflies, newts and mole rats, use the Earth's inherent magnetic field lines and field intensity variations to determine their geographical position. A research team at the University of Minnesota has shown that the inherent magnetic fields of ferromagnetic objects can be similarly exploited for accurate position measurements of these objects. Such position measurement is enabled in this research by showing that the spatial variation of magnetic field around an object can be modeled using just the geometry of the object under consideration. ...

The colon has a safety mechanism that restricts tumor formation

The colon has a safety mechanism that restricts tumor formation
2014-06-23
Colon cancer development starts with the formation of benign tumours called adenomas. It is estimated that between 30% and 50% of people over 50 will develop one of these tumours. These adenomas or polyps are the pre-cancerous lesions that, once they accumulate further genetic mutations over many years, can progress to colon cancer. A team headed by scientists at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) and headed by the ICREA researcher Eduard Batlle has discovered that the colon has a safety mechanism to restrict the formation and growth of adenomas. ...

Researchers discover new genes that promote brain cancer

2014-06-23
La Jolla, Calif., June 22, 2014, A new collaborative study carried out by researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham), UC San Diego, the German Cancer Research Center, the University of Heidelberg (Germany), and 33 other research institutions has identified two oncogenes, called GFI1 and GFI1B, that drive the development of medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor in children. The findings, published June 22 in Nature, suggest that GFI1 and GFI1B are worthy gene candidates for molecular-targeted therapy. "Using state-of-the-art ...

Vitamin D can lower weight, blood sugar via the brain

2014-06-23
CHICAGO, IL—Women with type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol are less likely than their male peers to reach treatment goals to lower their "bad" cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, despite access to cholesterol-lowering medication, a Canadian study finds. The results were presented on Saturday at the joint meeting of the International Society of Endocrinology and the Endocrine Society: ICE/ENDO 2014 in Chicago. Although other research has shown a similar gender gap in reduction of LDL cholesterol among adults with diabetes, the new study found that ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

HKU ecologists reveal key genetic insights for the conservation of iconic cockatoo species

New perspective highlights urgent need for US physician strike regulations

An eye-opening year of extreme weather and climate

Scientists engineer substrates hostile to bacteria but friendly to cells

New tablet shows promise for the control and elimination of intestinal worms

Project to redesign clinical trials for neurologic conditions for underserved populations funded with $2.9M grant to UTHealth Houston

Depression – discovering faster which treatment will work best for which individual

Breakthrough study reveals unexpected cause of winter ozone pollution

nTIDE January 2025 Jobs Report: Encouraging signs in disability employment: A slow but positive trajectory

Generative AI: Uncovering its environmental and social costs

Lower access to air conditioning may increase need for emergency care for wildfire smoke exposure

Dangerous bacterial biofilms have a natural enemy

Food study launched examining bone health of women 60 years and older

CDC awards $1.25M to engineers retooling mine production and safety

Using AI to uncover hospital patients’ long COVID care needs

$1.9M NIH grant will allow researchers to explore how copper kills bacteria

New fossil discovery sheds light on the early evolution of animal nervous systems

A battle of rafts: How molecular dynamics in CAR T cells explain their cancer-killing behavior

Study shows how plant roots access deeper soils in search of water

Study reveals cost differences between Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare patients in cancer drugs

‘What is that?’ UCalgary scientists explain white patch that appears near northern lights

How many children use Tik Tok against the rules? Most, study finds

Scientists find out why aphasia patients lose the ability to talk about the past and future

Tickling the nerves: Why crime content is popular

Intelligent fight: AI enhances cervical cancer detection

Breakthrough study reveals the secrets behind cordierite’s anomalous thermal expansion

Patient-reported influence of sociopolitical issues on post-Dobbs vasectomy decisions

Radon exposure and gestational diabetes

EMBARGOED UNTIL 1600 GMT, FRIDAY 10 JANUARY 2025: Northumbria space physicist honoured by Royal Astronomical Society

Medicare rules may reduce prescription steering

[Press-News.org] Physicists find way to boot up quantum computers 72 times faster than previously possible