How quantum computing is reshaping chip development

Quantum computing and semiconductors have a symbiotic relationship and will reinforce each other in the future of chip design.

From the bulky transistors of the 20th century to today's nanoscale marvels, the semiconductor field has been a testament to human ingenuity: these incredible engineering techniques continue to reshape the electronics field, making devices smaller, faster and more energy efficient.

In addition to breakthroughs in materials and innovative applications, the industry is now at the forefront of another revolutionary phase: quantum computing (QC), while still in its infancy, has become the latest breakthrough challenge. Quantum computing promises to bring about transformative shifts, particularly in semiconductor design, manufacturing and pioneering applications.

Building the "Quantum Stage"

To understand quantum computing, one must fundamentally understand how it differs from classical computing. Conventional systems store and process data in binary form, interpreting each bit strictly as a 0 or 1. Unlike binary bits, quantum bits utilize the principles of quantum mechanics and have the unique ability to exist in a superposition of 0s and 1s simultaneously.

--This pattern, known as quantum parallelism, amplifies computing power. Theoretically, quantum computers can perform millions of operations in parallel utilizing multifaceted data processing, which is unmatched by classical computers.

The concept of QC dates back to the 1980s, when it was first suggested that QC had the potential to enhance computational modeling of miniature quantum systems. the 1990s saw a surge in the scientific community, with groundbreaking algorithms and schemes.

The Shor algorithm was notable for its promise to significantly speed up specific cryptanalysis and challenge cryptosystems protecting global communications and data storage, but it was not the only algorithm.The Grover algorithm was another groundbreaking proposal that hinted at a quantum solution capable of performing database searches at speeds unattainable by classical algorithms. These innovative algorithms symbolize the enormous potential of quantum communication and have sparked widespread interest in the scientific community.

A glance at the current state of affairs: transition from grounded theory to practice

Since 2017, the QC narrative has begun to shift from theoretical foundations to practical manifestations. The emergence of noise-containing intermediate-scale quantum computers (NISQ) heralded this change: these machines equipped with dozens of quantum bits represent significant progress.

However, they also have their limitations: the error rate is too high and uncorrectable. Parallel to these developments is the field of quantum annealing. This approach, which originated a decade ago and utilizes quantum bits with short coherence durations, has shown impressive scalability, and experimental quantum annealing of about 2,000 quantum bits has now been achieved.

Now, the QC evolutionary timeline is accelerating. In recent years, QC has achieved milestones at an astonishing pace, and industry stalwarts are confident in the commercial viability of QC. While full commercial application may still be years away, the trajectory of progress is undeniable. While the promise of quantum chemistry is exciting, the transition from the laboratory to widespread application faces challenges:

1) Inherent sensitivity of quantum bits to noise

Nature of the challenge: In classical computing, the binary system effectively filters out small noise discrepancies. However, since quantum bits may represent both 0s and 1s, quantum chemistry faces a higher vulnerability to data corruption. This also leads to applications such as drug discovery or climate modeling, where minor errors caused by noise can lead to incorrect molecular structures or biased climate predictions.

2) Quantum Error Correction (QEC)

Quantum bits are inherently error-prone, making QEC indispensable. Quantum error correction is fundamentally different from classical error correction, mainly due to the probabilistic nature of quantum bits.

QEC algorithms are designed to simulate noiseless quantum computers, but incur significant overhead. Many physical quantum bits may be required to construct a stable logical quantum bit. This exponentially increases the complexity and resources required and means that early quantum computers may not be error-free.

3) Decoherence

The fleeting stability or decoherence of quantum bits refers to their tendency to rapidly lose their quantum nature. This property poses a huge challenge because quantum bits that lose coherence cannot achieve quantum behavior.

In reality, decoherence disrupts error correction, system optimization, and scaling efforts. In practice, quantum computers dealing with financial simulations may produce erroneous risk assessments.

4) Data processing and debugging

Quantum computers can represent large amounts of data using fewer quantum bits, but converting classical data to quantum states is resource intensive. In addition, quantum algorithms rely on unique phenomena such as interference and entanglement.

The time spent on data conversion may offset the quantum speed advantage when we envision real-world applications such as logistics optimization or AI enhancement. In addition, the lack of a mature quantum software stack and the infeasibility of traditional debugging methods may hinder the development and deployment of quantum algorithms.

"Quantum Dawn"

Despite the challenges, the expectation of the transformative power of quantum computers is unquestionable: the increased computing power of quantum computers still opens up endless possibilities for a wide range of applications: quantum computers have the potential to handle a wide variety of tasks, including financial risk calculations, molecular sciences, intelligent traffic management, vaccine discovery, and weather forecasting; moreover, it can be used in synergy with technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT), among others. ) and other technologies.

"Quantum hegemony" is a coveted milestone. It is characterized by the ability of quantum computers to perform tasks that are unimaginable for classical computers.

It's worth noting that researchers at Google have made great strides that could be important in overcoming some of these challenges. In July of this year, they unveiled a system with 70 working quantum bits running at 24 cycles. Using a complex random circuit sampling synthesis benchmark, they optimized the speed of key operations and may have solved the previously mentioned problem of sensitivity to external noise. To emphasize the importance of this breakthrough, it would take 47 years for a current supercomputer to compute the same numbers processed by Google's quantum system.

The financial community's growing confidence in quantum computing is supporting this rapid growth. in 2021, funding for quantum technology-focused startups more than doubled from the previous year to $1.4 billion. in addition, McKinsey & Company predicts that the quantum communications market will reach $700 billion by 2035, and could exceed $90 billion annually by 204. the market is expected to grow to over $1.4 billion in 2021, and to reach $4.5 billion by 205. the market will continue to grow, with the growth of quantum computing and the development of semiconductors increasing.

Quantum computing and semiconductor development are in a symbiotic relationship. The future is full of potential. Imagining a world where drug discovery is faster and artificial intelligence surpasses current capabilities will epitomize the revolution ahead. However, while envisioning the future, we also face enormous technological hurdles, the most pressing of which is the quest for an unprecedented number of durable error-correcting quantum bits.

The semiconductor industry stands at a crossroads of change as the quantum realm moves ever closer to "supremacy". It is not just a bystander or enabler, but an enabler that will shape the future of quantum error correction. Advances in quantum computing will inevitably spur innovation in semiconductor technology, and vice versa. All stakeholders, from manufacturers to researchers, should be clear: prepare for the quantum revolution that will reshape computing and semiconductor innovation.

参考链接：

[1]https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/themes/how-quantum-computing-could-change-the-world

[2]https://www.sciencealert.com/google-quantum-computer-is-47-years-faster-than-1-supercomputer[3]https://electronics360.globalspec.com/article/20083/how-quantum-computing-will-revolutionize-chip-development