Quantum information science

At the intersection between quantum mechanics and computer and information science lies at quantum information science (QIS). QIS seeks to understand how information is processed and transmitted using quantum mechanical principles. It is the merger of quantum mechanics and information and computation theory. QIS comprises four major areas: quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensing, and quantum foundational science.

Rather than using bits with a 1 or 0 value, like classical computers, quantum computers work by processing information in the form of qubits, which can occupy intermediate values. These qubits can operate cooperatively through a strange property called quantum entanglement. Multiply those interactions over billions of switches and you get a computer that is extraordinarily powerful at tackling certain computational challenges that classical computers cannot, such as simulating quantum systems.

Quantum communication opens up multiple areas, including a new realm of cybersecurity. Like in classical computing, classical information signals are transmitted using bits. These bits can be intercepted and copied by hackers without leaving a trace. Quantum communication uses qubits of information that are transmitted in a fragile intermediate quantum state. If these qubits are intercepted, the fragile state is broken, leaving traces of eavesdropping.

Quantum sensors exploit the fragility of the quantum state to make ultra-sensitive measurements. One example of quantum sensing is the use of entangled light to improve image and sensor resolution. The sensors are expected to yield extremely precise measurements of both optical and non-optical systems. Quantum foundational science lays the groundwork for the utilization of quantum technologies. Basic research—both experimental and theoretical—is necessary to provide a better understanding of how these technologies can be developed, used, and improved. Materials science plays an integral role in the development of quantum technologies.

The series of discoveries that make quantum computing possible began a century ago with quantum mechanics. Many scientists working independently provided the theoretical foundation for quantum mechanics drawing from multiple disciplines. In the 1960s, quantum information theory first appeared as a formulation for optical communication using quantum mechanics.

In 1980, Paul Benioff developed the first theoretical model of a quantum computer. By the late 1980s, a physical model of a computer was developed. Interest in quantum information systems remained relatively stagnant until 1994, when Peter Shor introduced Shor’s algorithm, which allows quantum computers to factor large integers and potentially break many cryptosystems. The first nuclear magnetic resonance-based quantum computer was demonstrated in the late 1990s with contributions from Los Alamos National Laboratory. Since then, scientists developed and improved upon technologies instrumental in the production of quantum technologies, including two dimensional ion traps, quantum dots, single photon emitters for optical fibers, and single electron qubit memory. Over the decades, the Department of Energy (DOE) supported the advancement of quantum technologies through basic research at many national laboratories and universities.

The National Quantum Initiative Act of 2018 provided the United States a plan for promoting quantum technologies. The National Quantum Initiative is the umbrella under which DOE, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the National Science Foundation are collaborating to create a sustainable environment in the United States for quantum research. Though quantum technologies are still in an early stage of development, researchers across the government, industry and academia are collaboratively and independently working to advance them.

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