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Quantum Physics

arXiv:2312.17570 (quant-ph)
[Submitted on 29 Dec 2023]

Title:The Quantum House Of Cards

Authors:Xavier Waintal
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Abstract:Quantum computers have been proposed to solve a number of important problems such as discovering new drugs, new catalysts for fertilizer production, breaking encryption protocols, optimizing financial portfolios, or implementing new artificial intelligence applications. Yet, to date, a simple task such as multiplying 3 by 5 is beyond existing quantum hardware. This article examines the difficulties that would need to be solved for quantum computers to live up to their promises. I discuss the whole stack of technologies that has been envisioned to build a quantum computer from the top layers (the actual algorithms and associated applications) down to the very bottom ones (the quantum hardware, its control electronics, cryogeny, etc.) while not forgetting the crucial intermediate layer of quantum error correction.
Comments: 7 pages, 1 figure. Published as a Perspective in PNAS
Subjects: Quantum Physics (quant-ph)
Cite as: arXiv:2312.17570 [quant-ph]
  (or arXiv:2312.17570v1 [quant-ph] for this version)
  https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2312.17570
Journal reference: PNAS 121 (1) e2313269120 (2024)
Related DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2313269120

Submission history

From: Xavier Waintal [view email]
[v1] Fri, 29 Dec 2023 11:48:51 UTC (542 KB)
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