Quantum computers could be the next big thing that changes the world, and scientists at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) have made a huge leap in this technology.

First of all, what is a quantum computer? A quantum computer is a computer that solves problems, similar to regular computers used in day-to-day life. The difference between a quantum computer and a regular computer is the molecules they send around that represent information. A regular computer uses bits, which can represent either a 1 or a 0. Sequences of these create commands and instructions on how to execute them. A quantum computer uses qubits, which have different properties from a bit. Unlike bits, which can either represent a 1 or a 0, a qubit can simultaneously be a 1 and a 0 at the same time. A qubit can also be one at a time and change whether it is a 1 or a 0 at any point. 

Superposition is when a qubit can be two pieces of information simultaneously (1 and 0). To allow qubits to do this, scientists manipulate them with lasers or microwave beams. Superposition allows the quantum computer to solve multiple problems at the same time, unlike a traditional computer that can only solve one problem at a time, and that is one reason why quantum computers are so much faster. When the scientists measure the qubits in superposition, however, they “collapse” into a 1 or a 0 because they leave superposition. Once they collapse, it allows the scientists to read them properly, and get the answer to the problem they need the computer to solve.

Another way qubits are different from regular bits is that qubits can enter a state called entanglement. This is where two qubits are linked to each other and, when one is changed, the other will change in a very similar way. This allows them to only change one qubit, which could change multiple others as well. This makes the computer faster because instead of changing each qubit one at a time, one qubit can be changed which changes all the others. Qubits can still be entangled even if they are very far from each other, allowing them to travel to different places in the computer but still change at the same time. The farthest distance that two qubits have been measured in entanglement is over 248 kilometers.

There are downsides to quantum computers, such as decoherence. Decoherence is another way to say the fragility of a qubit. The quantum states that qubits reach, such as superposition and entanglement, are very fragile. The slightest vibration or change in temperature could cause the qubit to collapse before the calculation is complete, making the outcome incorrect. Out of thousands of qubits, only one could make it to the end of the calculation without collapsing. This is why quantum computers have been stored at extremely low temperatures. So low in fact, that the temperature they are stored at is just barely above “absolute zero” which is a temperature so low that there is no movement at all in the particles. This temperature is -459 degrees Fahrenheit, or -272.778 degrees Celsius.

This is where the other downside for quantum computers comes in, and how scientists have made a huge leap in advancing quantum technology to solve this problem. Since quantum computers are stored at such a low temperature, they are extremely hard to maintain and take up a lot of resources and space to operate. This is why the scientists at UTEP have been working to develop a way to allow qubits to enter quantum states without requiring such extreme measures. They have created a material that is a mix of aminoferrocene (Fe{(η5-C5H4NH2)(η5-Cp)}) and graphene (C6H6), and it has magnetic properties 100 times stronger than Iron. For reference, the magnetic force from an iron core electromagnet is around 1.6 - 2 tons, while a core made from the new material would create a magnetic force of around 160-200 tons. This allows the qubits to be held in a very stable position due to the magnetic field from the new material.

They are currently building a quantum computer that has the new material, and it is looking very promising. They have run tests on smaller parts of a larger quantum computer to see if the material can hold qubits in quantum states, and all have come up successful. Hopefully, soon, the computer will be complete and there will be a quantum computer that can run at room temperature.