Quantum Computers
When talking about quantum computing, it is sometimes not entirely clear what exactly is meant. In fact, there are currently a whole range of different fundamental technical approaches to building quantum computers. The various approaches each have their advantages and disadvantages and it is not yet clear which approaches will prevail in the medium and long term.
When interpreted more narrowly, a quantum computer means a gate-based, universally usable quantum computer. Here is a brief overview of the types of approaches currently available.
| Technology | Manufacturers | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superconducting A chip is cooled near absolute zero temperature, turns super conducting and can then be controlled via magnetic fields. |
Google: 53 Qubit IBM: 127 Qubits, 433 Qubits announced for 2022 Rigetti: 2 x 40 Qubits |
Already working | Scalability unclear Coherent only for short periods of time |
| Ion Traps Single atoms are isolated through electromagnetic fields ans manipulated with lasers. |
IonQ: 11-79 Qubits Honeywell: 10 Qubits AQT: 10 Qubits |
Better scalability (in theory) Good coherence No extreme cooling necessary |
Operations run slower A lot of hardware required per ion trap |
| Photon based Photons are manipulated and entangled directly |
Jiuzhang Xanadu |
Big progress as of lately impervious to magnetic fields |
Still very specialized Coherence difficult to attain |
Want higher Qubit numbers? Having optimization problems? Missing D'Wave? Then quantum annealing might be interesting for you.