On Diamond-Based Quantum Computing

Roland Piquepaille writes "Quantum computing is usually associated with extremely low temperatures. Physicists at Harvard University have shown that diamonds can be used to create stable quantum computing building blocks at room temperature. A nitrogen vacancy in diamond could lead to quantum registers able to store or retrieve data. '"The problem is, what makes single nuclear spin so stable - its weak interaction with its surroundings - also prevents us from directly manipulating it," Lukin says. "How do you control something that can't interact with anything?" You do it gingerly and indirectly, the Harvard physicists report in Science. They found that nuclear spins associated with single atoms of carbon-13 - which make up some 1.1 percent of natural diamond - can be manipulated via a nearby single electron whose own spin can be controlled with optical and microwave radiation.'"

Comments

the problem with diamonds

[Original Replica]

Maybe this will help address the problem of diamonds, namely De Beers. The diamond industry is one of completely false scarcity and the result of a monopoly on a natural resource. The effect is not only rediculous prices for shiny rocks, but lots of blood shed. As all diamonds on the market serve to feed this beast, every diamond is a "conflict diamond".

Re:the problem with diamonds

[Anonymous Coward]

no this will not influence the crap with DeBeers. They have an emotional brand. They took a rock of little interest gem wise and made it into something based on a monopoly and pandering. Diamond good for cpus will have no greater impact on diamond gem prices than synthetic ruby or sapphire has had on prices of those gems. Now business that are into the gem quality diamond business, making better diamonds than the earth does, they might. But seeing as the CPU's will likely be made via chemical vapor deposition, or physical vapor deposition (probably on a Tungston sulfide coated substrate), or whatever, there's not much overlap in the technology.

You want to kill DeBeers, better education. A diamond from a press isn't any more special than a diamond dug up by an oppressed 3rd worlder. If anything, the ability to customize them makes them more special. But try convincing people raised on a diet of dug up diamonds feel and radiate love.

Worst. Idea. Ever.

[theTrueMikeBrown]

Haven't you ever played final fantasy? Crystal based computers would be far to powerful, we could never win in a fight against them. If they went haywire, no amount of Will Smiths or Neos could save us.

Re:HARDEST METAL KNOWN TO MAN

[ElephanTS]

er? pass the bong d00d...

Re: I'm confused

[Dolda2000]

I'm afraid you'll have to turn in your geek card. The word "spin" as used in that sentence isn't a verb, but a noun. It refers to a quantum mechanical property.

Re:How to sell your research

[diqrtvpe]

While I agree in principle with what you're saying, the fact is that if you don't sell your research to have some type of real-world application, you very likely won't get funded at all. I just finished an undergraduate physics degree, and the research I did there was done purely for the sake of finding out about new materials, how they structure themselves, and how they behave. However, we couldn't write down "science for the sake of science" on the grant proposal, because otherwise we would've been sol. The unfortunate truth is that most sources of funding, at least in my experience, are only interested in things that could have potential foreseeable use (disregarding possible useful advances due to "pure research").