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Quantum information science is an interdisciplinary field that combines the principles ofquantum mechanics,information theory, andcomputer science to explore how quantum phenomena can be harnessed for the processing, analysis, and transmission of information.[1] Quantum information science covers both theoretical and experimental aspects of quantum physics, including the limits of what can be achieved withquantum information. The termquantum information theory is sometimes used, but it refers to the theoretical aspects of information processing and does not include experimental research.[2]
At its core, quantum information science explores howinformation behaves whenstored and manipulated using quantum systems. Unlike classical information, which is encoded in bits that can only be 0 or 1, quantum information uses quantum bits orqubits that can exist simultaneously in multiple states because ofsuperposition.[3] Additionally,entanglement—a uniquely quantum linkage between particles—enables correlations that have no classical counterpart.[4][5][6]
Quantum information science is inherently interdisciplinary, bringing together physics,computer science, mathematics, and engineering. It involves developing theoretical frameworks, designing quantum algorithms, constructing quantum hardware, and implementing quantum communication protocols.[7]
Quantum teleportation,entanglement and the manufacturing ofquantum computers depend on a comprehensive understanding of quantum physics and engineering.Google andIBM, among others, have invested significantly in quantum computer hardware research, leading to significant progress in manufacturing quantum computers since the 2010s. Currently, it is possible to build a quantum computer with over 100qubits, but the error rates are high due to several factors including decoherence,[8] the lack of suitable hardware and materials for quantum computer manufacturing, which make it difficult to create a scalable quantum computer.[9]
Quantum cryptography devices are now available for commercial use. Theone time pad, a cipher used by spies during theCold War, uses a sequence of random keys for encryption. These keys can be securely exchanged using quantum entangled particle pairs, as the principles of theno-cloning theorem andwave function collapse ensure the secure exchange of the random keys. The development of devices that can transmit quantum entangled particles is a significant scientific and engineering goal.[citation needed]
Qiskit,Cirq andQ Sharp are popular quantum programming languages. Additionalprogramming languages for quantum computers are needed, as well as a larger community of competent quantum programmers. To this end, additional learning resources are needed, since there are many fundamental differences in quantum programming which limits the number of skills that can be carried over from traditional programming.[10] OpenQASM (Open Quantum Assembly Language) is a machine-independent imperative programming language designed to describe quantum circuits. It is based on the quantum circuit model and represents quantum programs as ordered sequences of parameterized operations, including gates, measurements, resets, and real-time classical computations. Beyond implementing quantum algorithms, OpenQASM also enables the specification of circuits for tasks such as characterization, validation, and debugging of quantum processors.[11]
Quantum algorithms andquantum complexity theory are two of the subjects inalgorithms andcomputational complexity theory. In 1994, mathematicianPeter Shor introduced a quantum algorithm forprime factorization[12] that, with a quantum computer containing 4,000logical qubits, could potentially break widely used ciphers likeRSA andECC, posing a major security threat. This led to increased investment inquantum computing research and the development ofpost-quantum cryptography[13] to prepare for the fault-tolerant quantum computing (FTQC) era.[14][15]
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