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MrPlow writes:

Submitted via IRC for SoyCow1984

Quantum computers are not like classical computers. I don't mean that in the sense that quantum computers perform calculations in a different manner, or that they might be faster, or more clever. No, I mean that quantum computers come with a whole set of issues (read: headache-inducing problems) that normal computers don't.

To reduce these problems, researchers have taken to hiding quantum information, albeit not very successfully. It turns out that using more than one type of qubit offers a bit more camouflage to quantum information.

[...] The researchers' control system is not perfect—the information still decays away, but the decay rate is a good 20 times slower than it would be if they were just using two beryllium ions.

The best bit, though, is that there is nothing stopping the researchers scaling up to more ions. Three qubits is puny compared to other quantum computers. But hitting nine-plus qubits should be possible, which is about state of the art for ion-based quantum computers. Furthermore, the cooling and control should allow for scaling to even larger numbers of qubits. It's all pretty exciting.

Source: https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/11/like-kids-a-little-separation-keeps-qubits-calmer-for-longer/

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