Quantum computing at room temperature thanks to mothballs

Discussion in 'Computer Science & Culture' started by Plazma Inferno!, Jul 19, 2016.

  1. Plazma Inferno! Ding Ding Ding Ding Administrator

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    An international team of researchers has reported a breakthrough that may open the door to the construction of viable quantum computers. The key to the future of quantum computing could be naphthalene — the active ingredient in mothballs.
    The development of quantum computers capable of performing operations many orders of magnitude faster than conventional computers has been a goal of computer scientists and physicists ever since the idea was first floated in the early 1980s. However, for a viable quantum computer to be built, electron spin — an intrinsic property of electrons that can be used as a qubit — needs to be stabilized so that that the spin lifetime exceeds at least 100 nanoseconds.
    Until now, the only way scientists have been able to achieve this is by cooling a material to near absolute zero (-273 degrees Celsius or -459.4 degrees Fahrenheit).
    According to the researchers, the new material — which has a nano-sized spherical and disordered structure — not only solves the problem of temperature in quantum computing, it also has the conductivity needed to integrate it into existing silicon technologies.
    Researchers have demonstrated that a long conduction electron spin lifetime in metallic-like material made up of carbon nanospheres can be achieved at room temperature. This material was produced simply by burning naphthalene, the active ingredient in mothballs, allowing scientists to achieve a new record electron spin lifetime of 175 nanoseconds at room temperature.

    http://www.ibtimes.com/quantum-comp...ind-way-stabilize-electron-spins-room-2392321

    Paper: http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2016/160718/ncomms12232/full/ncomms12232.html
     

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