Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

A "Photon Machine Gun" For Quantum Computers

Posted by kdawson on from the entangle-this dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Generating entangled photons in a reliable way is impossible right now, stalling the development of the optical quantum computers that would use entangled photons as quantum bits (qubits). Because entangled photons can only be produced at random — which takes time — the most powerful optical quantum computing device use only 6 qubits. UK and Israeli quantum physicists have designed a blueprint for a 'quantum machine gun' that fires out barrages of entangled photons on demand. They think within a few years this device will be built, and could lead to quantum computing using 20 to 30 qubits. Every additional qubit doubles the computing power, so these quantum computers could outperform any existing classical computer, the researchers say. The quantum machine gun is described as 'one of the most exciting theoretical proposals I've read in five years' by a leading quantum physicist." The research was published in Physical Review Letters earlier this month.

11 of 143 comments (clear)

  1. Not particularly useful against an insurgency by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Israeli quantum physicists have designed a blueprint for a 'quantum machine gun'

    In other news, Palestinian quantum physicists have designed shoulder-mounted quantum launchers and quantum vests in response.

    Civilians are hopeful for peace and terrified for escalation of hostilities.

  2. Re:For certain problems. by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

    But only for probabilistic algorithms. It's not going to be faster at everything.

    So Whpt if we occjsion?lly fl#p a fwe bits.
       

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  3. no peeking by RuBLed · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's not going to be faster at everything.

    It's going to be faster at everything.

    1. Re:no peeking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      It's not going to be faster at everything.

      It's going to be faster at everything.

      It's going to be simultaneously faster and not faster at everything.

    2. Re:no peeking by jellomizer · · Score: 2, Funny

      Well... it is both.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
  4. ObCompJoke... by Tastecicles · · Score: 3, Funny

    imagine a Beowulf cluster of... NO! NONONO!

    --
    Operation Guillotine is in effect.
    1. Re:ObCompJoke... by Yoozer · · Score: 2, Funny

      I tried to imagine a cluster of photon machine guns and all I could come up with was a container full of Mag-Lites.

  5. Re:For certain problems. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    If you are gay, then I'll take it as a complement.

  6. Re:Explain the hype, please? by noundi · · Score: 4, Funny

    Ok, so on this site bursting with intelligent, educated folk...

    You lost me at "Ok".

    --
    I am the lawn!
  7. Dirty Erwin by ciderVisor · · Score: 5, Funny

    I know what you're thinking: "Did he flip six qbits or only five?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being as this is a Photon Machine Gun, the most powerful quantum entanglement source in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: Is the cat dead or alive ? Well, is it, punk ?

    --
    Squirrel!
  8. Heh by L4t3r4lu5 · · Score: 4, Funny

    The quantum machine gun is described as 'one of the most exciting theoretical proposals I've read in five years' by a leading quantum physicist.

    The long winter nights must just fly by.

    --
    Finally had enough. Come see us over at https://soylentnews.org/