Scientists from the Linköping University in Sweden discovered a low-cost replacement for the diamond that would help quantum computing to become more affordable.
Just like classic computers use bits, quantum computers use qubits. That’s the short way of saying a quantum bit. The problem with qubits is that they need freezing temperatures to do the job. Minus 460 degrees Fahrenheit or -273,33 degrees Celsius.
That’s way beyond freezing and is the reason why quantum computing can’t become what it is meant to become, and that is the future of technology. The lowest temperature registered in Antarctica was of −98 °C (−144.4 °F). so, not even Antarctica is good enough for a quantum computer to work. Not even the troposphere of the icy giant Uranus is cold enough, with its -218 °C (-370 °F). Let’s face it: quantum is a far distant galaxy.
But scientists can’t give up. They’ve found that the diamond can be used to conduct those icy iced famished electrons. But a technology based on a diamond means enormous costs. This is where superconductive silicon carbide comes in.
You’d think that this is the end of it. Well, you’d be wrong. Silicon carbide isn’t enough. It needs some faults. Some atom-sized laser-holes in which the qubits would spill into. And they would have to be placed in super-strategic places. That’s even worse than the old Chinese painting castles on a rice bean.
But what is quantum computing for us, the common people?
The truth? Not much, but ‘everything.’ It isn’t the speed of operations but the numbers of operations a quantum computer can perform to get to the result you need. But if you aren’t a scientist, then there might be no need for you to have a quantum computer.
“Quantum computers aren’t meant to be a replacement for classic computers. They aren’t universally faster. They are only faster for special types of calculations, to do some kind of computational parallelism,” said A. Prof. Andrea Morello from the University of New South Wales.
Quantum computing doesn’t improve watching videos or writing in Word, “so, you should not think of a quantum computer as something where every operation is faster. In fact, every operation is probably going to be slower.” However, a quantum PC would consider 1 and 0 at the same time in a quantum superposition, so the possibilities are limitless.
