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Validating quantum devices

Matthias Troyer, Microsoft and ETH Zurich
Monday, November 14, 2016 - 4:00pm to 5:00pm
PAA A-102
About a century after the development of quantum mechanics we have now reached an exciting time where non-trivial devices that make use of quantum effects can be built. While we are still working on building a quantum computer of non-trivial size, there exist already are a number commercial and experimental devices: quantum random number generators, quantum encryption systems, and analog quantum simulators. In this colloquium I will present some of these devices and validation tests we performed on them. Quantum random number generators use the inherent randomness in quantum measurements to produce true random numbers, unlike classical pseudorandom number generators which are inherently deterministic. Optical lattice emulators use ultracold atomic gases in optical lattices to mimic typical models of condensed matter physics. I will then discuss the devices built by Canadian company D-Wave systems, which are special purpose quantum simulators for solving hard classical optimization problems. I will end with an outlook towards future “digital” universal quantum computers that will be able to surpass these early analog quantum devices.

Watch a video of the talk here​.​

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