Nobel Laureate Haroche We can't make false promises about quantum computers
Quantum computers would greatly exceed the capabilities of traditional computers, and the world is working toward the goal of practical quantum computing. But Serge Haroche, a French scientist who traveled to Buenos Aires for Science Week, said, "It's very difficult to achieve. There are many challenges that need to be addressed. It's a very active area of research, but I think it's dangerous to overhype what we're doing and make false promises."
The Nobel laureate in physics was cautious when discussing the latest advances in quantum computers, but he also highly appreciated the role of basic science in developing devices that could "revolutionize" people's lives.
In 2012, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics to Serge Haroche and American scientist David J. Wineland for their innovative experimental methods that made it possible to measure and manipulate individual quantum systems, discoveries that have spurred research into the construction of future quantum computers.
Unlike conventional computers, which use 1s and 0s (bits) in their operations, quantum computers use "quantum bits", which are characterized by an infinite number of superposition states. That is, instead of having a predefined value, a quantum bit can be 0, 1 or a superposition of these two numbers, such as 80 percent of 0s and 20 percent of 1s.
Using these quantum bits (which can be photons, captured ions or atoms) opens up a universe of possibilities for the transmission and storage of information, Haroche said, although it does take years of research. "Quantum computers would be systems that would take advantage of the singularities of quantum physics at the single-atom scale to encode information in single atoms or in artificial systems that behave like atoms. But you need to couple millions of them together and avoid all kinds of perturbations to make it work, and that's hard to achieve," he said.
If quantum computers are created, they will be "very powerful" machines, Haroche said, adding that they will be "quite specialized devices for research, but I don't think (that) will happen unless something new happens and there are unpredictable breakthroughs," he said. "He added that the announcement by companies such as Google and IBM that they have achieved "quantum hegemony" is just a lot of "marketing.
Haroche also said that, in any case, quantum computer research has encouraging results in the fields of communications, metrology and quantum simulation, and has interesting applications in navigation, early detection of earthquakes and prevention of espionage.
Haroche also emphasized the importance of basic science. "All physicists and scientists know that there can be no convergence, no instrumentation, no applied science without a background in fundamental research. All the great instruments that have changed our lives, especially since the early 20th century, have come from basic science."
In the interview, he stressed the importance of a true "symbiosis" between applied and basic science, as the latter are often despised by political leaders who see them as "curiosities" or simple "luxuries ".
We have a lot of problems now, and they are long-term problems, but in the West, politicians are focused on short-term problems, on the electoral agenda," he said. It's really, really bad, just like on the climate issue, where we're clearly not on track."
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