TRN's Making The Future Report

December, 2003/January, 2004
Quantum Computing: Prospects and Pitfalls
70 pages

This report examines the current state of the technologies aimed at making quantum computers, organizes key issues and puts them in context, and succinctly explains how the technologies work.

Quantum computers, which use attributes of particles like photons, electrons and atoms to compute, would be fantastically fast for certain types of very large problems, including searching large databases and factoring the large numbers whose solutions would render today's encryption useless.

The report lays out the technologies researchers are using to make the basic building blocks of quantum computers -- qubits -- and to connect qubits into quantum computer architectures. These technologies include ion traps, semiconductor impurities, superconductor circuits, quantum dots, neutral atom optical traps, linear optics, nuclear magnetic resonance, molecular magnets, spectral hole burning devices, and Wigner crystals.

Scientists are also at work on software algorithms aimed to enable quantum architectures to solve certain types of problems many orders of magnitude faster than the fastest classical computers.

The report includes an executive summary, a list of 16 developments to look for as these cutting-edge technologies take shape, and a section of 52 researchers to watch, including links to their Web pages. It also includes a quick tour of 68 recent developments in six areas and a section of 52 in-depth news stories from TRN.

The stories are organized into nine categories: quantum computing schemes, qubits, logic gates, computer architectures, tools and resources, storage, communications, algorithms, and theory.

TRN's Making the Future reports contain live links, and can be read on a computer, printed and archived.

Buy the the Quantum Computing report for $89.

. You will receive download instructions via email.

Report Sections
Executive Summary: 300 words Main Report: 6,412 words How It Works: 756 words In-Depth Stories: 52 stories, including 11 images
Table of Contents: Main Report The concept Quantum weirdness Unimaginable power The challenge Hardware, software and communications Many potential models Quantum denominations Qubits Light logic MRI technology Controlling quantum information Holding it together Logical vs. physical Living with errors Entangled logic Blueprints Quantum chips Tools of the trade Entangling particles Measuring entanglement Reading the answers Bottling chance Making connections Quantum software Filling in the picture The lay of the land The long road ahead	How It Works Photons Electrons Atoms and ions Qubits Ion traps Quantum dots Semiconductor impurities Superconducting circuits Optical traps In-Depth Story Categories Quantum computing schemes Qubits Logic gates Computer architectures Tools and resources Storage Communications Algorithms Theory

Take a look at all available Making the Future reports.

View a four-page sample of the Making the Future report (pdf).

Home Archive Resources Feeds Offline Publications Glossary

TRN Finder Research Dir. Events Dir. Researchers Bookshelf

Contribute Under Development T-shirts etc. Classifieds

Forum Comments Feedback About TRN

TRN Newswire and Headline Feeds for Web sites