Quantum Computation--The Ultimate Frontier

TL;DR

This paper explores the theoretical foundations, physical implementations, and technological implications of quantum computing, emphasizing its potential to revolutionize computation and related fields.

Contribution

It provides an overview of quantum algorithms, error correction methods, and physical systems suitable for quantum computers, highlighting recent progress and future prospects.

Findings

Quantum algorithms enable polynomial-time factoring.

Various physical systems show promise for quantum hardware.

Quantum error correction is essential for reliable quantum computation.

Abstract

The discovery of an algorithm for factoring which runs in polynomial time on a quantum computer has given rise to a concerted effort to understand the principles, advantages, and limitations of quantum computing. At the same time, many different quantum systems are being explored for their suitability to serve as a physical substrate for the quantum computer of the future. I discuss some of the theoretical foundations of quantum computer science, including algorithms and error correction, and present a few physical systems that have shown promise as a quantum computing platform. Finally, we discuss a spin-off of the quantum computing revolution: quantum technologies.