How Does a Quantum Computer Work?
If someone asked you to picture a quantum computer, what would you see in your mind? Maybe you see a normal computer-- just bigger, with some mysterious physics magic going on inside? Forget laptops or desktops. Forget computer server farms. A quantum computer is fundamentally different in both the way it looks, and ,more importantly, in the way it processes information. There are currently several ways to build a quantum computer. But let’s start by describing one of the leading designs to help explain how it works. Imagine a lightbulb filament, hanging upside down, but it’s the most complicated light you’ve ever seen. Instead of one slender twist of wire, it has organized silvery swarms of them , neatly braided around a core. They are arranged in layers that narrow as you move down. Golden plates separate the structure into sections. The outer part of this vessel is called the chandelier. It’s a supercharged refrigerator that uses a special liquified heli...