Quantum computer and quantum computing method

• US 8,054,072 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2009
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ichimura, Kouichi, Goto, Hayato
• Primary Examiner(s): Assouad; Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): SPINELLA MAMO, VINCENT P
• Application Number:
  US12/543,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20100044600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 324/304
• US Class Current: 324/300
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 10/00 Quantum computing, i.e. information processing based on quantum-mechanical phenomena

Abstract

A quantum computer includes a unit including thin films A, B and C each containing a physical-system group A, B and C formed of physical systems A, B and C, the films A, B and C being alternately stacked in an order of A, B, C, A, . . . , each of the systems A, B and C having three-different-energy states |0>_x, |1>_x , |e>_x, a quantum bit being expressed by a quantum-mechanical-superposition state of |0>_x and |1>_x , a light source generating light beams having angular frequencies ω_{A(E), ye, g}, ω_{A(E), ye, e}, ω_{x, ye, gg}, ω_{x, ye, ge}, ω_{x, ye, eg} and ω_{x, ye, ee}, ω_{A(E), ye, g}, a unit controlling frequencies and intensities of the beams, and a unit measuring intensity of light emitted from or transmitted through physical-system group A(E) contained in a lowest one of the thin films A to detect a quantum state of the group A(E).

Claims

1. A quantum computer and method comprising:

a laminated unit including a plurality of thin films A each containing a physical system group A′

formed of a plurality of physical systems A″

, a plurality of thin films B each containing a physical system group B′

formed of a plurality of physical systems B″

, and a plurality of thin films C each containing a physical system group C′

formed of a plurality of physical systems C″

, the thin films A, B and C being alternately stacked on each other with a thin film A positioned lowest, in an order of A, B, C, A, B, C, A, . . . , each of the physical systems A″

, B″ and

C″

having three different energy states |0>

_x, |1>

_x, |e>

_x (suffix x indicating a state of each of physical systems x″

, and x″

representing A″

, B″ and

C″

that represent types of the physical systems, the physical systems x″

providing physical system groups x′

), a quantum bit being expressed by a quantum mechanical superposition state of |0>

_x and |1>

_x;

a light source which generates a plurality of light beams having angular frequencies ω

_{A(E), ye, g}, ω

_{A(E), ye, e}, ω

_{x, ye, gg}, ω

_{x, ye, ge}, ω

_{x, ye, eg} and ω

_{x, ye, ee}, and having spectral widths narrower than differences between the angular frequencies, and applies the light beams to the thin films, an angular frequency ω

_{A(E), ye, g} being a |y>

_A(E)−

|e>

_A(E) (y=0,

     1) transition angular frequency of one (physical system group A(E)′

) of the physical system groups A′

that is contained in a lowest one (thin film A(E)) of the thin films A, the |y>

_A(E)−

|e>

_A(E) transition angular frequency being assumed when one of the physical system groups B′

that is contained in one of the thin films B that is located just above the thin film A(E) is in |y′

>

_B (y′

=0,

     1), the angular frequency ω

_{A(E), ye, e} being the |y>

_A(E)−

|e>

_A(E) transition angular frequency assumed when the one of physical system group B′

is in |e>

_B, an angular frequency ω

_{x, ye, gg} being a |y>

_x−

|e>

_x transition angular frequency of a first one of the physical system groups x′

which excludes the physical system group A(E)′

, the |y>

_x−

|e>

_x transition angular frequency being assumed when a second one of the physical system groups x′

located just below the first one is in |y> and

a third one of the physical system groups x′

located just above the first one is in |y′

>

, an angular frequency ω

_{x, ye, ge} being the |y>

_x−

|e>

_x transition angular frequency of the first one assumed when the second one is in |y> and

the third one is in |e>

, the angular frequency ω

_{x, ye, eg} being the |y>

_x−

|e>

_x transition angular frequency of the first one assumed when the second one is in |e> and

the third one is in |y′

>

, the angular frequency ω

_{x, ye, ee} being the |y>

_x−

|e>

_x transition angular frequency of the first one assumed when the second one is in |e> and

the third one is in |e>

;

a control unit configured to control frequencies and intensities of the light beams; and

a measuring unit configured to measure intensity of light emitted from or transmitted through the physical system group A(E)′

in the thin film A(E) to detect a quantum state of the physical system group A(E)′

.

2. The quantum computer according to claim 1, wherein:

the laminated unit has an optical waveguide only in the thin film A(E);

the light source generates two light beams of two angular frequencies ω

_{A(E), ye, g} and ω

_{A(E), ye, e} having spectral widths each narrower than a difference between the two angular frequencies, also generates four light beams of four angular frequencies ω

_{x, ye, gg}, ω

_{x, ye, ge}, ω

_{x, ye, eg} and ω

_{x, ye, ee} having spectral widths each narrower than differences between the four angular frequencies, and guides the two light beams of the two angular frequencies ω

_{A(E), ye, g} and ω

_{A(E), ye, e} into the optical waveguide to operate the physical system group A(E)′

; and

the measuring unit measures intensity of light transmitted through the optical waveguide, or intensity of light emitted from the physical system group in the optical waveguide.

3. The quantum computer according to claim 1, wherein the physical systems A″

, B″ and

C″

are three types of rare-earth ions A′

″

, B′

″ and

C′

″

, the thin films x are formed of oxide single crystal or oxide microcrystal, the energy states |0>

_x and |1>

_x are nuclear spin states of each rare-earth ion x′

″

of the rare-earth ions A′

″

, B′

″ and

C′

″

assumed when each rare-earth ion x′

″

is in an electron ground state, and the energy state |e>

_x is an electron excited state of each rare-earth ion x′

″

.

4. The quantum computer according to claim 3, wherein in order to select physical systems, used as quantum bits, from a large number of physical systems x″

contained in a first thin film x, the light source and the control unit execute the following;

applying, to the thin films of the laminated unit, the light beam of the angular frequency ω

_{x ye, gg} that resonates with a |y>

_x−

|e>

_x transition of each physical system x″

within inhomogeneous broadening, and then applying, to the thin films, a light beam of an angular frequency ω

_{x, ye, gg}−

ω

_{x, 01} when a physical system x″

−

1 and a physical system x″

+1 are in |y>

<sub>x−

1</sub> and |y′

>

_x+1, respectively, to mainly include, as a physical system x″

that resonates with the light beam of the angular frequency ω

_{x, ye, gg}, physical system that resonates with a |z>

_x−

|e>

_x transition (z=0 if energy of |1>

_x is greater than energy of |0>

_x, and z=1 if the energy of |1>

_x is not greater than the energy of |0>

_x), the physical system x″

−

1 being contained in a thin film located just below the first thin film x containing the physical system x″

, the physical system x″

+1 being contained in a thin film located just above the first thin film x, |a>

_x representing a state which is not used for expressing quantum bits, ω

_{x, a0} representing a |a>

_x−

|0>

_x transition angular frequency, and ω

_{x, 01} representing a |0>

_x−

|1>

_x transition angular frequency;

then applying a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{B, ye, gg} to the thin films to set the physical system group B′

in |e>

_B, applying, to the thin films, a combination of a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{A, re} and a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{A, re}+ω

_{A, ay} when energy of |y>

_A is higher than energy of |a>

_A, or a combination of the π

pulse of the angular frequency ω

_{A, re} and a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{A, re}−

ω

_{A, ay} when the energy of |y>

_A is lower than the energy of |a>

_A, while varying a value of ω

_{A, re}, and again applying the π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{B, ye, gg} to the thin films to return the physical system group B′

in |y>

_B, the angular frequency ω

_{A, re} falling within a range that excludes an angular frequency range having a width of Δ

ω

_{A, bit} and using, as a center of the width of Δ

ω

_{A, bit}, an angular frequency ω

_{A, ye, gg}+Δ

ω

_{A, ye, ge};

then applying a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{C, ye, gg} to the thin films to set the physical system group C′

in |e>

_C, applying, to the thin films, a combination of a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{B, re} and a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{B, re}+ω

_{B, ay} when energy of |y>

_B is higher than energy of |a>

_B, or a combination of the π

pulse of the angular frequency ω

_{B, re} and a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{B, re}−

ω

_{B, ay} when the energy of |y>

_B is lower than the energy of |a>

_B, while varying a value of ω

_{B, re}, and again applying the π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{C, ye, gg} to the thin films to return the physical system group C′

in |y>

_C, the angular frequency ω

_{B, re} falling within a range that excludes an angular frequency range having a width of Δ

ω

_{B, bit} and using, as a center of the width of Δ

ω

_{B, bit}, an angular frequency ω

_{B, ye, gg}+Δ

ω

_{B, ye, ge};

then applying a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{A, ye, gg} to the thin films to set the physical system group A′

in |e>

_A, applying, to the thin films, a combination of a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{C, re} and a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{C, re}+ω

_{C, ay} when energy of |y>

_C is higher than energy of |a>

_C, or a combination of the π

pulse of the angular frequency ω

_{c, re} and a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{c, re}−

ω

_{c ay} when the energy of |y>

_C is lower than the energy of |a>

_c, while varying a value of ω

_{c, re}, and again applying the π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{A, ye, gg} to the thin films to return the physical system group A′

in |y>

_A, the angular frequency ω

_{c, re} falling within a range that excludes an angular frequency range having a width of Δ

ω

_{C, bit} and using, as a center of the width of Δ

ω

_{C, bit}, an angular frequency ω

_{C, ye, gg}+Δ

ω

_{C, ye, ge};

and using, at this time as quantum bits, physical system group x′

which is set in |y>

_x to collectively further bias, to one energy side (a lower or higher energy side), energy corresponding to a transition angular frequency of a physical system group used as a quantum bit and contained in a second thin film included in the thin films, when a physical system group used as another quantum bit and contained in a third thin film included in the thin films and adjacent to the second thin film is in an electron excited state, than in an electron ground state.

5. The quantum computer according to claim 4,

wherein when the physical system x″

−

1 and the physical system x″

+1 (x″

=A″

, B″

, C″

) are in |y>

<sub>x−

1</sub> and |y′

>

_x+1 respectively, the light source and the control unit apply, to the thin films, the light beam of the angular frequency ω

_{x, ye, gg} that resonates with the |y>

_x−

|e>

_x transition of the physical system x within inhomogeneous broadening, and then apply, to the thin films, a light beam of an angular frequency ω

_{x, ye, gg}+ω

_{x, 01}, instead of the light beam of the angular frequency ω

_{x, ye, gg}−

ω

_{x, 01}, if x″

is one or all of A″

, B″ and

C″

, to cause the physical system x″

that resonates with the light beam of the angular frequency ω

_{x, ye, gg} to include physical systems that resonate with a |z>

_x−

|e>

_x transition.

6. A quantum computing method comprising:

preparing a laminated unit including a plurality of thin films A each containing a physical system group A′

formed of a plurality of physical systems A″

, a plurality of thin films B each containing a physical system group B′

formed of a plurality of physical systems B″

, and a plurality of thin films C each containing a physical system group C′

formed of a plurality of physical systems C″

, the thin films A, B and C being alternately stacked on each other with a thin film A positioned lowest, in an order of A, B, C, A, B, C, A, . . . , each of the physical systems A″

, B″

, C″

, having three different energy states |0>

_x, |1>

_x , |e>

_x (suffix x indicating a state of each of physical systems x″

, and x″

representing A″

, B″ and

C″

that represent types of the physical systems, the physical systems x″

providing physical system groups x′

), a quantum bit being expressed by a quantum mechanical superposition state of |0>

_x and |1>

_x;

generating a plurality of light beams having angular frequencies ω

_{A(E), ye, g}, ω

_{A(E), ye, e}, ω

_{x, ye, gg}, ω

_{x, ye, ge} ω

_{x, ye, eg} and ω

_{x, ye, ee}, and having spectral widths narrower than differences between the angular frequencies, and applying the light beams to the thin films, an angular frequency ω

_{A(E), ye, g} being a |y>

_A(E)−

|e>

_A(E) (y=0,

     1) transition angular frequency of one (physical system group A(E)′

) of the physical system groups A′

that is contained in a lowest one (thin film A(E)) of the thin films A, the |y>

_A(E)−

|e>

_A(E) transition angular frequency being assumed when one of the physical system groups B′

that is contained in one of the thin films B that is located just above the thin film A(E) is in |y′

>

_B (y′

=0,

     1), the angular frequency ω

_{A(E), ye, e} being the |y>

_A(E)−

|e>

_A(E)transition angular frequency assumed when the one of physical system group B′

is in |e>

_B, an angular frequency ω

_{x, ye, gg}being a |y>

_x−

|e>

_x transition angular frequency of a first one of the physical system groups x′

which excludes the physical system group A(E)′

, the |y>

_x−

|e>

_x transition angular frequency being assumed when a second one of the physical system groups x′

located just below the first one is in |y> and

a third one of the physical system groups x′

located just above the first one is in |y′

>

, an angular frequency ω

_{x, ye, ge} being the |y>

_x−

|e>

_x transition angular frequency of the first one assumed when the second one is in |y> and

the third one is in |e>

, the angular frequency ω

_{x, ye, eg} being the |y>

_x−

|e>

_x transition angular frequency of the first one assumed when the second one is in |e> and

the third one is in |y′

>

, the angular frequency ω

_{x, ye, ee} being the |y>

_x−

|e>

_x transition angular frequency of the first one assumed when the second one is in |e>

and the third one is in |e>

;

applying the light beams to the thin films to operate quantum bits while controlling frequencies and intensities of the light beams; and

applying the light beams to the physical system group A(E)′

contained in the thin film A(E), and measuring intensity of light emitted from or transmitted through the physical system group A(E)′

to detect a quantum state of the physical system group A(E)′

to read a quantum bit.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein:

the laminated unit has an optical waveguide only in the thin film A(E);

generating the light beams generates two light beams of two angular frequencies ω

_{A(E), ye, g} and ω

_{A(E), ye, e} having spectral widths each narrower than a difference between the two angular frequencies, also generates four light beams of four angular frequencies ω

_{x, ye, gg}, ω

_{x, ye, ge}, ω

_{x, ye, eg} and ω

_{x, ye, ee} having spectral widths each narrower than differences between the four angular frequencies, and guides the two light beams of the two angular frequencies ω

_{A(E), ye, g} and ω

_{A(E), ye, e} into the optical waveguide to operate the physical system group A(E)′

; and

measuring the intensity of light measures intensity of light transmitted through the optical waveguide, or intensity of light emitted from the physical system group in the optical waveguide.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the physical systems A″

, B″ and

C″

are three types of rare-earth ions A′

″

, B′

″ and

C′

″

, the thin films x are formed of oxide single crystal or oxide microcrystal, the energy states |0>

_x and |1>

_x are nuclear spin states of each rare-earth ion x′

″

of the rare-earth ions A′

″

, B′

″ and

C′

″

assumed when each rare-earth ion x′

″

is in an electron ground state, and the energy state |e>

_x is an electron excited state of each rare-earth ion x′

″

.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein in order to select physical systems, used as quantum bits, from a large number of physical systems x″

contained ina first thin film x,

generating the light beams and controlling frequencies and intensities of the light beams execute the following;

applying, to the thin films of the laminated unit, the light beam of the angular frequency ω

_{x, ye, gg} that resonates with a |y>

_x−

|e>

_x transition of each physical system x″

within inhomogeneous broadening, and then applying, to the thin films, a light beam of an angular frequency ω

_{x, ye, gg}−

ω

_{x, 01} when a physical system x″

−

1 and a physical system x″

+1 are in |y>

<sub>x−

1</sub> and |y′

>

_x+1, respectively, to mainly include, as a physical system x″

that resonates with the light beam of the angular frequency ω

_{x, ye, gg}, a physical system that resonates with a |z>

_x−

|e>

_x transition (z=0 if energy of |1>

_x is greater than energy of |0>

_x, and z=1 if the energy of |1>

_x is not greater than the energy of |0>

x), the physical system x″

−

1 being contained in a thin film located just below the first thin film x containing the physical system x″

, the physical system x″

+1 being contained in a thin film located just above the first thin film x, |a>

_x representing a state which is not used for expressing quantum bits, ω

_{x, a0}representing a |a>

_x−

|0>

_x transition angular frequency, and ω

_{x, 01} representing a |0>

_x−

|1>

_x transition angular frequency;

then applying a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{B, ye, gg} to the thin films to set the physical system group B in |e>

_B, applying, to the thin films, a combination of a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{A, re} and a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{A, re}+ω

_{A, ay} when energy of |y>

_A is higher than energy of |a>

_A, or a combination of the π

pulse of the angular frequency ω

_{A, re} and a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{A, re}−

ω

_{A ay} when the energy of |y>

_A is lower than the energy of |a>

_A, while varying a value of ω

_{A, re}, and again applying the π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{B, ye, gg} to the thin films to return the physical system group B′

in |y>

_B, the angular frequency ω

_{A, re} falling within a range that excludes an angular frequency range having a width of Δ

ω

_{A, bit} and using, as a center of the width of Δ

ω

_{A, bit}, an angular frequency ω

_{A, ye, gg}+Δ

ω

_{A, ye, ge};

then applying a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{C, ye, gg} to the thin films to set the physical system group C′

in |e>

_C, applying, to the thin films, a combination of a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{B, re} and a π

pulse of an angular frequency (ω

_{B, re}+ω

_{B, ay} when energy of |y>

_B is higher than energy of |a>

_B, or a combination of the π

pulse of the angular frequency ω

_{B, re} and a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{B, re}−

ω

_{B ay} when the energy of |y>

_B is lower than the energy of |a>

_B, while varying a value of ω

_{B, re}, and again applying the π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{C, ye, gg} to the thin films to return the physical system group C′

in |y>

_C, the angular frequency ω

_{B, re} falling within a range that excludes an angular frequency range having a width of Δ

ω

_{B, bit} and using, as a center of the width of Δ

ω

_{B, bit}, an angular frequency ω

_{B, ye, gg}+Δ

ω

_{B, ye, ge};

then applying a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{A, ye, gg} to the thin films to set the physical system group A′

in |e>

_A, applying, to the thin films, a combination of a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{C, re} and a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{C, re}+ω

_{C, ay} when energy of |y>

_C is higher than energy of |a>

_c, or a combination of the π

pulse of the angular frequency ω

_{c, re} and a π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{c, re}−

ω

_{c, ay} when the energy of |y>

_c is lower than the energy of |a>

_c, while varying a value of ω

_{c, re}, and again applying the π

pulse of an angular frequency ω

_{A, ye, gg} to the thin films to return the physical system group A′

in |y>

_A, the angular frequency ω

_{C, re} falling within a range that excludes an angular frequency range having a width of Δ

ω

_{C, bit} and using, as a center of the width of Δ

ω

_{C, bit}, an angular frequency ω

_{C, ye, gg}+Δ

ω

_{C ye, ge};

and using, at this time as quantum bits, the physical system group x′

which is set in |y>

_x to collectively further bias, to one energy side (a lower or higher energy side), energy corresponding to a transition angular frequency of a physical system group used as a quantum bit and contained in a second thin film included in the thin films, when a physical system group used as another quantum bit and contained in a third thin film included in the thin films and adjacent to the second thin film is in an electron excited state, than in an electron ground state.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein when the physical system x″

−

1 and the physical system x″

+1 (x″

=A″

, B″

, C″

) are in |y>

<sub>x−

1</sub> and |y′

>

_x+1 respectively, generating the light beams and controlling frequencies and intensities of the light beams apply, to the thin films, the light beam of the angular frequency ω

_{x ye, gg} that resonates with the |y>

_x−

|e>

_x transition of the physical system x″

within inhomogeneous broadening, and then apply, to the thin films, a light beam of an angular frequency ω

_{x, ye, gg}+ω

_{x, 01}, instead of the light beam of the angular frequency ω

_{x, ye, gg}−

ω

_{x, 01}, if x″

is one or all of A″

, B″ and

C″

, to cause the physical system x″

that resonates with the light beam of the angular frequency ω

_{x, ye, gg} to include physical systems that resonate with a |z>

_x−

|e>

_x transition.