To date, quantum computers have been implemented so that programming their operation was, in essence, hardwired into their essential structure. Although many useful demonstrations of quantum computing have resulted from such special-purpose devices, they are basically one-problem computers which cannot easily be reprogrammed or scaled to attack larger problems. As early models of practical quantum computers, they don’t make the grade.
The basis of essentially all practical classical computers is the Von Neumann architecture, which comprises a central processing unit (CPU) to do calculations, a memory which holds both data and CPU instructions, and an interface which allows the input and output of the CPU to change the information in memory. This architecture is easily scalable to nearly any size and capacity desired.
Recently, John Martinis’ research group at the University of California at Santa Barbara has created the first general-purpose programmable quantum computer.
via Gizmag
Image: Eric Lucero
