The history of quantum computing has been marked by a series of breakthroughs at the frontiers of materials and computer science. Applying the principles of quantum mechanics to build computers capable of delivering almost unimaginable leaps in performance over today’s machines has preoccupied scientists for more than 40 years. For all that, practical quantum computers have remained tantalisingly out of reach. News of a breakthrough this week suggests the finish line may finally be coming into sight, potentially opening the way to the first practical machines around the turn of the decade.
量子計(jì)算的歷史以材料科學(xué)和計(jì)算機(jī)科學(xué)前沿的一系列突破為標(biāo)志。40多年來(lái)，科學(xué)家們一直致力于將量子力學(xué)原理應(yīng)用于計(jì)算機(jī)的構(gòu)建，以實(shí)現(xiàn)比現(xiàn)今機(jī)器性能幾乎不可想象的飛躍。盡管如此，實(shí)用的量子計(jì)算機(jī)仍然遙不可及。本周的突破性新聞表明，終點(diǎn)線可能終于開(kāi)始顯現(xiàn)，可能在十年之交開(kāi)啟通向首批實(shí)用機(jī)器的道路。