Quantum leap: Has next-gen computing moved from hype to hope? – Sydney Morning Herald

A second study from the team, published in Advanced Materials in December, shows the quantum chips can be built using ion implantation, the same technology used to make silicon chips inside computers and smartphones.

This ensures that our quantum breakthrough is compatible with the broader semiconductor industry, says Professor David Jamieson, who led that work at the University of Melbourne.

Scientists talk of scaling up quantum manufacturing. But current machines are still hand-built. And making one that can do useful things remains a long way off.

IBMs 127-qubit processor holds the title of worlds most powerful quantum computer. A useful machine will need millions, or even billions of qubits, says Professor Jamieson.

Professor Turner says different people give different forecasts on how long that might take. Some say five years, some say 50. Some holdouts still say its impossible, he says.

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Quantum computers are not comparable to regular computers: they are not designed to play video games or browse the web. Instead, they are useful for extremely specific problems that are difficult or impossible for classic computers to solve modelling chemistry and cracking widely used encryption, possibly including bitcoin.

Much is made of the ability to crack encryption, but this may just be a step in an arms race: companies are already working to develop quantum-proof encryption.

Quantum scientists argue you cant design programs until you have the hardware.

There are fewer than wed like, admits Professor Turner. But its not our generation thats going to discover all these quantum algorithms its the kids in high school right now.

Thanks to large investments in the early 2000s, Australia once led the world in quantum computing. It is still a key player, but we are losing our relevance, there is no doubt about that, says Dr Simon Devitt, managing director of the quantum technology consultancy, H-bar.

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Starting in 2014 we started seeing the rest of the world really ramping up their efforts. And Australia is sitting here twiddling its thumbs.

Dr Devitt says several key quantum research centres, including the Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication, are due to close within the next three years unless their funding is renewed.

We have no idea if Canberra is going to go through with a full-fed initiative in quantum, which is what we really need if were going to continue to be relevant in this space.

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Quantum leap: Has next-gen computing moved from hype to hope? - Sydney Morning Herald