The future of chip technology

A conventional computer does binary math using switches that are either on or off. Quantum computing uses switches that are not only on or off, but also on and off at the same time and every state in between.

This doesn't seem possible in the real world, but it's very real in quantum physics.

Researchers are using a variety of particles at the sub-atomic level. They're looking at electrically charged atoms, ions, photons (particles of light), as well as the nucleus of an atom. They are particularly keen on using an atomic nucleus to achieve quantum computing, using a machine not unlike a hospital's MRI device to measure and manipulate the spin of a nucleus.

In conventional computing, a one or zero is called a bit. In quantum computing, states are called qubits.

Because a qubit is not just a one or a zero but can be both as well as all the states in between, it becomes an enormously powerful way to do parallel computing. Many parts of a computer all work at once on a problem instead of waiting for each other to finish before proceeding.

Research in quantum computing is in its infancy.

A quantum computer wouldn't necessarily replace silicon-based computers: "If it ever gets to the point of being useful, then it could coexist in a peaceful manner with conventional computers. Or it could be a special purpose computer that feeds data into a conventional computer," said Nabil Amer, manager and strategist of physics of information, IBM Research Division. Cryptology is an exciting and frightening application of quantum computing.

A quantum computer would have the power to break almost any code. In the wrong hands, that would put military secrets at risk. Technology that scrambles credit card data in e-commerce would be easy to defeat, but the computational power could help scientists unlock the secrets of the universe.

Scientists say it's important to understand that the new paradigms are theoretical technologies but, barring any unseen drawbacks, they will eventually make their way into some form of computer technology of the future. Meanwhile, Moore believes silicon will continue to be the basis of future computers.

"I will admit to being a skeptic," he said. "The view that something will suddenly come along to replace silicon technology - that is very naïve. This is a technology that cumulatively is a $100-billion industry and to believe that something will come in and in one leap get ahead of that, I find pretty hard to swallow."

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