D-Wave Systems Inc. has announced that it has built a quantum annealer with over 1000 qubits. Previously, D-Wave promised to deliver 1152 qubit systems in March 2015.
D-Wave's quantum computer runs a quantum annealing algorithm to find the lowest points, corresponding to optimal or near optimal solutions, in a virtual "energy landscape." Every additional qubit doubles the search space of the processor. At 1000 qubits, the new processor considers 21000 possibilities simultaneously, a search space which dwarfs the 2512 possibilities available to the 512-qubit D-Wave Two. In fact, the new search space contains far more possibilities than there are particles in the observable universe.
The new processors comprise over 128,000 Josephson junctions (tunnel junctions with superconducting electrodes) in a 6-metal layer planar process with 0.25µm features, believed to be the most complex superconductor integrated circuits ever built.
The press release goes on to explain that the new generation of D-Wave processors runs at a 40% colder temperature (closer to absolute zero than before), reduces noise levels, and allows for "new modes of use."
A blog post explains that specific delivered systems will vary in qubit count, but should have around 1152 qubits.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Tuesday June 23 2015, @09:40PM
So how far are we from quantum computers smashing public key and asymmetrical encryption?
(Score: 2) by arslan on Wednesday June 24 2015, @12:33AM
With QC? No idea.. but just smashing public key and asymmetrical encryption, the NSA is already effectively achieving the same results in other ways.
(Score: 2) by mtrycz on Wednesday June 24 2015, @10:01AM
About 5$
https://xkcd.com/538/ [xkcd.com]
In capitalist America, ads view YOU!
(Score: 3, Insightful) by kaszz on Wednesday June 24 2015, @10:30AM
Requires physical violence access. Not always possible.