The topological quantum computer still exists only in theory but, if possible, would be the most stable and powerful computing machine in the world. However, it requires a special type of qubit (quantum bit) that has yet to be realized and manipulated.
Conventional matter is made up of atoms which contain electrons, and scientists have long known that electrons are indivisible fundamental particles. Yet surprising new research shows that a weird feature of quantum mechanics can be used to produce objects that behave like half of an electron.
These "split-electrons" can act as topological qubits and might hold the key to unlocking the full power of quantum computation.
The discovery, recently published in Physical Review Letters, was made by Professor Andrew Mitchell at University College Dublin (UCD) School of Physics, and Dr. Sudeshna Sen at the Indian Institute of Technology in Dhanbad, who are theoretical physicists studying the quantum properties of nano-scale electronic circuits.
"The miniaturization of electronics has reached the point now where circuit components are just nanometers across. At that scale, the rules of the game are set by quantum mechanics, and you have to give up your intuition about the way things work," said Dr. Sen.
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