US ORNL laser test
(click to view full)

Readers who follow the tech press may be familiar with the concept of quantum computing. Computers use binary bits: on/off, yes/no, represented by 0 or1. A quantum bit, or qubit, can be 1, or 0… or both. Whereas 111 = 7 in binary, and each entry is a choice among all the possibilities in the number of binary digits, 3 qubits can hold all 8 possibilities (0-7), which means you can do calculations on all of them at once. The more qubits used, the more computation, so 32 qubits theoretically gets you 2 to the 32nd power computations (about 4.3 billion) at once – much more power than conventional computing, and it keeps on rising exponentially. It’s worth noting that quantum computing has limits; they are not fully understood yet, but have been shown to exist at the theoretical level. So far, all we can say is that certain kinds of problems will be solved much, much more quickly. The uses of such a system for searching large domains of information, of cracking codes, or creating codes, or running simulations that include the quantum level as a number of modern physical and medical science applications do, are clear. As an additional benefit, quantum cryptography methods benefit from quantum principles whereby eavesdropping is not only incredibly difficult, it will create noticeable interference.

Here’s a good introductory primer written in 2000 A.D. at Caltech, plus a more technical Wikipedia article and an extensive set of resources at Cambridge University UK’s Center for Quantum Computing.

The USA’s DARPA is interested, of course. A DARPA Quantum Network became fully operational on October 23, 2003 in BBN’s laboratories, running the world’s first Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) network using 24×7 quantum cryptography to provide unprecedented levels of security for standard Internet traffic flows. DARPA’s “Quantum Information Science & Technology” program lists as a completed effort and explored a number of facets of quantum computing and associated technological leaps, but its “High Productivity Computing Systems” effort includes some quantum related efforts and appear to be ongoing. So are the contracts…

Quantum Information Sciences: Contracts

Cambridge primer
(full PNG, 483k)

Unless otherwise noted, all contracts are issued by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in Arlington, VA.

May 18/07: HRL Laboratories in Malibu, CA received a $2.6 million increment of a $6.9 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus fixed-fee contract for military applications of quantum information science. The firm combines pathbreaking backgrounds in information sciences and simulation, and lasers & communication.

Work will be performed in Malibu, CA (63%), Los Angeles, CA (17%), Cambridge, MA (11%), and Madison, WI (9%), and is expected to be complete May 2009. Funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This is a limited competition contract (HR0011-06-C-0052, P00007).

March 26/07: Arpanet pioneers BBN Technologies in Cambridge, MA received a $3.5 million increment of a $14 million modification to a previously awarded cost plus fixed fee contract for military applications of quantum information science.

Work will be performed in Cambridge, MA (40%), Yorktown Heights, NY, (39%), and Arlington, VA (21%), and is expected to be complete in May 2010. This action is a limited competition contract (HR0011-06-C-0051, P00004).

March 20/07: HRL Laboratories in Malibu, CA received a $16 million increment as part of a $75.2 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for military applications of quantum information science.

Work will be performed in Malibu, CA and is expected to be complete by March 19, 2009. There were 6 bids solicited on June 13, 2006, and 6 bids were received (HR0011-06-C-0052).

Additional Readings

• Science Blog (April 7/08) – Researchers Take Step Toward Creating Quantum Computers