Quantum Computer and India

Quantum computing is certainly an interesting field of research in search for a new kind of computing machine. The classical computer (which, most of them are digital in nature) perform its computation based on two discrete states ie true and false. Using these two states the classical computer could perform unbelievably a large varieties of computation from wide varieties of domains. All the scientific simulations including the simulation of quantum physics phenomena are being performed so far using these classical computers - the super computers.

However, it has been observed by physicists that there is a fundamental difference between the classical and the quantum realm. As in the case of classical domain where the things or states are always deterministic in nature which means that a deterministic number can be assigned to each state for example a state can have either 0 or 1 value. In the classical realm a state can never have non-deterministic value or it can never have probabilistic value. Whereas in the case of quantum physics the scenario is bit weird. The state of anything can be assigned with a deterministic value. Therefore, it is unlikely that the classical system can model the quantum system. There has been an attempt to model the quantum system using the classical CMOS technology based computer, however, the attempt has yield a very meager gain over the classical counter part. At the same time there have been a serious attempt to build a real quantum computer. The nature of real quantum computer is that the hardware of the computer should be built from the quantum component. The only characteristic of this mystical quantum component is that it should represent the quantum state. The quantum state are purely probabilistic in nature and it holds the other quantum mechanical properties such as  superposition and non-locality (disclaimer: I have no formal training on quantum physics, my source of knowledge is from self study, lecture and seminar by eminences). In the similar way the programming of the quantum computer should be built. In the classical computer the nature of the program poses some specific properties. Some of the properties of the classical programs are with respect to the way of execution. Each instruction in the classical program are interdependent by time and space. In the computer science terminology such interdependence are also called as control and data dependence. To put it in the proper perspective, all the instructions can't be executed simultaneously and a single instruction or a data can't be replicated into multiple copies simultaneously - it requires time. Whereas in the case of quantum computer the scenario is different and it is fully driven by the quantum mechanical principles. The research effort around the world has now become more intense and being done by large group of researchers. Currently most of the efforts are being invested to build a specific purpose quantum computer that would solve the problems that comes from the domain of quantum physics, particularly the ability to simulate/emulate the real quantum phenomena. However, soon the effort would also come to build a general purpose quantum computer which would solve the classical computational problems much efficiently.

Some of the leading economy countries have started investing in realizing a genuine quantum computer that would solve the large scale quantum physics problems. The country such as United States and European countries are investing good amount of funds for this cause. Some of the natural question with respect to research in this domain that arises must be addressed globally. To solve such problem in the modern time it is wise to put a collaborative efforts by the group around the world. It should be a collaborative efforts by all the countries when it comes to funding. A new funding model should be initiated to solve such problems. The emerging economy like India can not afford to invest to solve such problem from bottom to top. However, India can and must invest in carrying out theoretical and simulation based research effort to solve some of the selected problems. And, such project should be done in collaboration with the countries who are building the hardware. Such collaborative effort is expected and would certainly accelerate the innovations in this area. Experts say that in the coming 15 years the world would start using a quantum computer (the genuine one) in some form.

The next big challenge is to tackle the hard problem of consciousness (the subjective self awareness) using such kind of new computer. We will try to present our thoughts in the upcoming articles.


Reference:

1) Delivering on Quantum Innovation, IEEE Spectrum, Sep 19, 2019
https://spectrum.ieee.org/computing/hardware/delivering-on-quantum-innovation

2) How to make computing more sustainable, Nature, Sep 18, 2019,
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02781-4

3) Simulating Physics with Computer, May 7, 1981,
https://people.eecs.berkeley.edu/~christos/classics/Feynman.pdf

Jaynarayan Tudu, 

Tirupati, India