The achievements in high-end technologies made by the US scientists helped the nation gains worldwide notoriety in science, and skyrocketed the US national security and economy. However, recently, the United States is competing against China and the European Union for the next technological breakthrough that is the quantum computer. That’s one race the US has to win.
The National Quantum Initiative Act, adopted in the United States in 2018, puts the basis of the private and governmental-funded research in quantum sciences, including quantum mechanics and the quantum computer.
Studying and developing devices running on quantum sciences could have a wide array of applications in real life, from national security breakthroughs to the economy and beyond. In this regard, the scientists have to explore the subtle properties of quantum physics including the concept that subatomic particle, such as atoms, protons, electrons, photons, can exist in more possible states at the same time, a notion known as “quantum superposition.”
A quantum computer is based on the “quantum superposition” concept
A traditional computer, such as the laptop or tablet you’re using to read this articles, employs small electronic “on-off” switches in their CPUs. That is known as binary, 1 and 0, where 1 is “on,” and 0 is “off.” Also, the technological advancements managed to create super-computers which can perform at higher speeds but follow the same “on-off” patterns.
However, the conventional computing systems almost reached their limits.
On the other hand, a quantum computer employs “qbits” which are subatomic particles that, under the concept of “quantum superposition,” can be “on” and “off” at the same time.
That would permit a quantum computer to operate complex calculations at a speed of millions of times faster than the most advanced super-computer of the moment.
China and the EU are both investing billions in research facilities and quantum sciences exploration. Also, China officially stated that its primary goal is to outperform the US in technological achievements. Thus, it is mandatory for the United States to win the race for the quantum computer against China and the European Union.