• Perspective
  • Open Access

Harnessing the Power of the Second Quantum Revolution

Ivan H. Deutsch
PRX Quantum 1, 020101 – Published 13 November 2020

Abstract

The second quantum revolution has been built on a foundation of fundamental research at the intersection of physics and information science, giving rise to the discipline we now call quantum information science (QIS). The quest for new knowledge and understanding drove the development of new experimental tools and rigorous theory, which defined the road map for second-wave quantum technologies, including quantum computers, quantum-enhanced sensors, and communication systems. As technology has matured, the race to develop and commercialize near-term applications has accelerated. In the current regime of Noisy Intermediate Scale Quantum (NISQ) devices [J. Preskill, Quantum 2, 79 (2018)], the continued necessity of basic research is manifest. Under what conditions can we truly harness quantum complexity and what are its implications for potential useful applications? These questions remain largely unanswered and as the QIS industry ramps up, a continuous feedback between basic science and technology is essential. In this Perspective, I review how curiosity-driven research has led to radical new technologies and why the quest for basic understanding is essential for further progress.

  • Received 2 October 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PRXQuantum.1.020101

Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

Published by the American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Quantum Information, Science & Technology

Authors & Affiliations

Ivan H. Deutsch*

  • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Center for Quantum Information and Control, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA

  • *ideutsch@unm.edu

Popular Summary

Quantum information science (QIS) has ignited a “second quantum revolution” that promises next-generation information-processing technologies that can far outperform current systems based on technologies that arose in the “first quantum revolution,” e.g., transistors and lasers. Today, the acceleration of the second quantum revolution is palpable with rapid growth in academics, government, and industry.

This Perspective revisits how we got here and what will be necessary to fulfill the revolution’s promises. QIS arose from curiosity-driven research that established the foundation of the field. In quantum physics, new understanding arose through deeper dives into old concepts including entanglement, contextuality, and decoherence. Simultaneously, the curious interplay between the digital information revolution and fundamental physics emerged. The ability to process information, be it for metrology, communication, or computation, is intrinsically tied to the physics of the device that does the job. Quantum physics enables a broader class of devices that potentially have more power than classical information processors. But how do we harness this power?

Today, we live in the era of noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) information processors. How much quantum complexity can we truly generate with a NISQ device and what are the conditions that must be reached to harness this complexity for a true quantum advantage? To answer these questions, a new round of basic research is in order. In this Perspective, I explore how our drive to understand the fundamentals led to the foundations of technology and I describe where some of the mysteries remain that demand our curiosity.

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Vol. 1, Iss. 2 — November - December 2020

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It is not necessary to obtain permission to reuse this article or its components as it is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI are maintained. Please note that some figures may have been included with permission from other third parties. It is your responsibility to obtain the proper permission from the rights holder directly for these figures.

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