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quantum computer

noun

  1. a computer that makes use of the quantum states of electrons or other particles to store and process information as quantum bits.


quantum computer

noun

  1. a type of computer which uses the ability of quantum systems to be in many different states at once, thus allowing it to perform many different computations simultaneously
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


quantum computer

  1. A computer that exploits the quantum mechanical properties of superposition in order to allow a single operation to act on a large number of pieces of data. In a quantum computer, the data to be manipulated, represented in quantum bits, exists in all possible states simultaneously, in superposition. This allows a single operation to operate over all of these states at once, in contrast with a classical computer, which must carry out an operation for each state separately. Because of the difficulty of creating environments small enough for quantum effects to emerge but sufficiently isolated to prevent interaction with outside influences such as heat, only extremely rudimentary quantum computers currently exist, though algorithms for possible future devices are being developed.


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Other Words From

  • quantum computing noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of quantum computer1

First recorded in 1980–85
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Example Sentences

Parallel processing, something our brains do very well but that stumps modern computers, has been scientists’ stretch goal for quantum computers since the 1990s.

Last year, startup Universal Quantum announced plans to build a modular quantum computer out of a network of many smaller units using trapped-ion qubits.

Using them to solve practical nonlinear problems requires quantum computers with thousands of qubits to minimize error and noise — far beyond what’s possible today.

The new quantum computer, called Jiŭzhāng, is a bit like the child of Deep Thought.

The researchers have built a quantum computer prototype that is able to detect up to 76 photons through Gaussian boson sampling, a standard simulation algorithm, the state-run Xinhua news agency said, citing research published in Science magazine.

From Fortune

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quantum chromodynamicsquantum cryptography