So, before the pandemic hit, I was gearing up for a deep dive into Physics 101, Chemistry 101, and Quantum Computing—subjects that require substantial mathematical understanding and a grasp of counterintuitive principles. Well, that journey is still going and going good. Well, to me, my fascination with tackling difficult subjects isn't new; it stems from my years of weightlifting. Yes, lifting weights taught me valuable lessons in resilience and self-confidence. It's a unique aspect of weight training, strength training, powerlifting, and especially Olympic Weightlifting. Done right, it can significantly boost your confidence in handling challenges outside the gym.
Tackling Quantum Computing? It's time to learn all there is to know. The road is long and fraught with the nuances of the maths behind physics, and the principles can often be perplexing, yet they enrich your understanding of such a complex science. When I embarked on this project, I knew of only one other person in my field interested in Quantum mechanics. The pandemic provided me with ample time to focus on enhancing my knowledge of the quantum world.
With a solid background in classical PCs, including hardware assembly, networking, BASIC programming, and specializing in Video Streaming and Satellite Communications, I made significant strides in running a small software company. My expertise in fiber optics, satellite, terrestrial communications, and later, extensive knowledge of Cellular and IP telephony, enabled me to build unique and powerful solutions extensively used within the TV media market and Emergency Management for 30 years.
This experience led me to retire in 2015 to pursue something new: Quantum Computing, which felt like a natural progression from my love for science fiction.
My journey took an interesting turn when I stumbled upon a book about Ettore Majorana, the genius physicist behind the discovery of an elusive particle that, decades later, inspired Microsoft's quantum computing efforts. Majorana was a brilliant Italian theoretical physicist known for his significant contributions to neutrino physics and the theory of particles that are their own antiparticles, now known as Majorana fermions. Despite his intellect, he is perhaps best remembered for his mysterious disappearance in 1938 after a brief yet impactful stint working with other notable physicists like Werner Heisenberg and Niels Bohr.
Microsoft's architecture for quantum computing involves developing a topological quantum computer that utilizes Majorana fermions as qubits. This approach is appealing because it theoretically provides greater error resistance, which is a significant challenge in quantum computing. Microsoft focuses on creating stable qubits from Majorana fermions, which could potentially operate at higher temperatures and with greater coherence than other qubit types.
For more on Ettore Majorana's contributions and his enigmatic life, consider exploring further. And if you're interested in Microsoft's quantum architecture, their official quantum computing page offers a wealth of information.
Back to my journey: Inspired by Microsoft's work, I explored other architectures, becoming particularly fond of the Ion trapping system. I devoured information on both Honeywell and IonQ systems, learning about the use of qubits versus traditional bits. In classical computing, the binary system of 0 and 1—used to build logic gates like XOR, OR, AND—is intuitive. However, quantum computing transcends these limits, harnessing the power of qubits to solve intractable problems far beyond the capability of even the most powerful classical supercomputers.
I will be back with my next post covering Gate-building in Quantum Computing, an amazing journey of counter-intuitive concept that actually works!
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