Oxford University, in co-operation with nearly 30 other educational and industrial partners, is progressing with its project, the Networked Quantum Info Applied sciences (NQIT – pronounced ‘N-kit’) Hub. The Hub is one of the four Hubs whose development is being financed by EPSRC. In 2014, the UK authority announced an expenditure of £270 million over a period of five years.

The NQIT Hub involves developing completely distinct methods for quantum networking and computing. The ultimate goal is to develop a functioning quantum pc. Oxford, along with its allies, is working towards the reduction of the processing energy used by the existing supercomputers by developing quantum applied sciences.

The journal Nature published the paper on the progress of the Hub project. According to Professor David Lucas of Oxford’s Division of Physics and the ion lure quantum computing group’s Professor Andrew Steane, quantum pc processes information using quantum physics’ principles that govern the performance of microscopic particles.

Using quantum-mechanical methods to process data helps quantum computer systems to discover certain problems in a much more effective way. Quantum computer systems are capable of understanding various quantum ways which are instrumental in understanding complex chemistry and biology molecules. The foremost purpose of the NQIT venture is creating the components of a quantum pc that will be primarily based on trapped atomic ions.

The journal explains the quantum ‘logic gate’ that exists among the common isotope calcium-40 and the uncommon isotope calcium-43. “The Oxford group has beforehand proven that calcium-43 makes the perfect single-qubit, whereas the calcium-40 ion has an easier construction to be used as an interface qubit,” said Lucas.