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Quantum computational advantage using photons

Han-Sen Zhong, Hui Wang, Yu-Hao Deng · 26 authors total; senior/corresponding authors include Chao-Yang Lu and Jian-Wei Pan.

Published 18 December 2020 · Science · Journal article

Summary

The team demonstrates Gaussian boson sampling with a photonic quantum computer named Jiuzhang, detecting up to 76 output photons from a 100-mode interferometer. The resulting output distribution spans an enormous Hilbert space, and they estimate the sampling task would take classical supercomputers astronomically longer, providing a photonics-based demonstration of quantum computational advantage. This complemented the earlier superconducting-qubit supremacy result with a distinct physical platform.

Key findings

  • Implements Gaussian boson sampling with up to 76 detected photons across 100 optical modes.
  • Estimates a sampling rate roughly 10^14 times faster than state-of-the-art classical simulation on top supercomputers.
  • Establishes photonics as a second independent platform demonstrating quantum computational advantage.

Subjects & keywords

Cite this paper

APA

Han-Sen Zhong, Hui Wang, & Yu-Hao Deng [26 authors total; senior/corresponding authors include Chao-Yang Lu and Jian-Wei Pan.] (2020). Quantum computational advantage using photons. Science. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abe8770

BibTeX
@article{zhong2020quantum,
  author    = {Han-Sen Zhong and Hui Wang and Yu-Hao Deng and {26 authors total; senior/corresponding authors include Chao-Yang Lu and Jian-Wei Pan.}},
  title     = {Quantum computational advantage using photons},
  journal   = {Science},
  year      = {2020},
  doi       = {10.1126/science.abe8770},
  url       = {https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abe8770}
}

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