A research team, comprising Vlatko Vedral, Elisabeth Rieper and Mile Gu from the National Univesity of Singapore’s Centre for Quantum Technologies together with Karoline Wiesner from the University of Bristol, has identified a new way wherein the performance of quantum physics-based computers can surpass that of classical computers.
According to the study, a quantum computer might need a less memory for a Matrix-like model of reality when compared to a classical computer. It also intimates to study the possibility of a theory beyond quantum theory. The study findings have been reported in Nature Communications.
The researchers discovered this new way from their research that explores how much data is required to envisage the future. They focused on the way to simulate ‘stochastic’ processes, which offer multiple possible results to a particular procedure, each taking place with a measurable probability. Several phenomena, ranging from gas diffusions to stock market activities, can be simulated as stochastic processes. The least amount of information needed to reproduce a particular stochastic process is a key issue of study in the complexity theory field.
Scientists know how to quantify inherently transferred information in any stochastic process. Hypothetically, this sets the least amount of information required for the process simulation. However, in reality, conventional stochastic process simulations need more storage than this value.
The research team has demonstrated that quantum simulators require to store less amount of information when compared to the optimal classical simulators due to the fact that quantum models can encode probability information in a ‘superposition,’ wherein one quantum bit of data can be over one classical bit. However, the researchers have also observed that the quantum simulations are not able to perform to their full potential.
The quantum simulations must store more information than that needed by the process. This leaves a gap that suggests the need to think about a new theory beyond quantum physics, concluded Vedral.
Source: http://www.quantumlah.org/