China claims to own the world's most powerful quantum computer system

A Chinese research team has successfully built a quantum supercomputer system called "Zuchongzhi 2.1", which greatly increases China's quantum supremacy.

Zuchongzhi quantum supercomputer system. (Photo: SCMP)

This outstanding achievement makes China the first country to achieve quantum supremacy in two key areas: quantum quantum computing technology and quantum supercomputing technology.

The new study, led by Chinese quantum physicist Pan Jianwei, was recently published in Physical Review Letters and Science Bulletin.

In December 2020, the research team completed the Jiuzhang quantum quantum computer prototype , equipped with an optical circuit quantum processor instead of the application of superconducting materials on a chip. Jiuzhang uses optical circuits that perform calculations, specifically photons, rather than the flow of electrons like Google's Sycamore computer network. With 76 photons, Jiuzhang achieved quantum supremacy.

Quantum supremacy, or quantum advantage, is achieved when a quantum computer can solve a problem that no standard computer can in a reasonable amount of time. exam.

By May 2021, researchers had designed a set of quantum computing systems called Zuchongzhi 66 qubits, which would help perfect the second dimension of technology. This Chinese-built quantum computer takes just 72 minutes to perform an information processing task that would take at least eight years for the most powerful supercomputer in the world today.