Chinese scientists have created the world’s first light-based quantum computer, called Jiuzhang, opening a new era of quantum computation. It’s a breakthrough in the field after Google completed its quantum computer last year.
中國科學(xué)家構(gòu)建世界首臺光量子計算機(jī)“九章”，開啟量子計算新時代。這是繼去年谷歌發(fā)布其量子計算機(jī)后，該領(lǐng)域的一大突破。

Compared with today’s best supercomputers, Jiuzhang can calculate 100,000 billion times faster. For example, it takes Jiuzhang 200 seconds to perform Gaussian boson sampling, an extremely challenging calculation, while the fastest classical supercomputer, Fugaku, would need about 600 million years to complete the same task.
九章的計算速度比當(dāng)今最強(qiáng)的超級計算機(jī)快一百萬億倍。比如，九章只需200秒就能處理高斯玻色取樣問題，這是一個極具挑戰(zhàn)的算題，而最快的傳統(tǒng)超級計算機(jī)“富岳”則需6億年才能完成相同的任務(wù)。

Quantum computers can take computational shortcuts when simulating extremely complex scenarios whereas conventional computers have to find a solution step by step, taking significantly more time in the process.
在模擬特別復(fù)雜的場景時，量子計算機(jī)可以采用計算捷徑，而傳統(tǒng)計算機(jī)必須一步步地找解決方案，在過程中花費更多時間。

Quantum machines’ amazing computing power arises from their basic building blocks, called quantum bits, or qubits, according to the University of Science and Technology of China. Usually, classical computers handle data in binary bits, presenting data as either 0s or 1s. However, quantum computers process data using qubits, which can be identified as 0s, 1s or everything in between. As a result, as the number of qubits increases, the computing ability of quantum computers increases too.
中國科技大學(xué)表示，量子計算機(jī)驚人的計算能力源于其基本單位“量子比特”或“量子位”。通常，傳統(tǒng)計算機(jī)使用二進(jìn)制位處理數(shù)據(jù)，數(shù)據(jù)顯示為0或1。而量子計算機(jī)則使用量子位處理數(shù)據(jù)，顯示為0或1或兩者之間的任意數(shù)。因此，隨著量子位數(shù)量增加，量子計算機(jī)的計算能力也隨之增加。

Therefore, Jiuzhang, which uses 76 photons as qubits, is about 10 billion times faster than Google’s 53-qubit computer, which uses superconductive materials, according to the university.
因此，該高校認(rèn)為，76個光子的量子計算機(jī)九章比谷歌使用超導(dǎo)材料的 53 比特量子計算機(jī)快一百億倍。

Another advantage of Jiuzhang is that it’s easier to make and maintain. Superconducting quantum computers must be kept at ultra-cold temperatures to ensure their materials can conduct electricity without any resistance. But most components of Jiuzhang can operate at room temperature except its sensory equipment, which must be kept at -269.1 C.
九章的另一大優(yōu)勢是更容易構(gòu)建與維護(hù)。超導(dǎo)量子計算機(jī)必須放置在超冷溫度下，以確保其材料可以無阻導(dǎo)電。但九章的大多數(shù)部件可在室溫下運(yùn)行，其傳感設(shè)備除外，必須保存于零下269.1攝氏度。

With advantages over traditional computers, quantum computers have a wide range of applications. The calculations carried out by Jiuzhang can potentially be applied to machine learning, quantum chemistry and graph theory, according to Pan Jianwei, a key researcher behind Jiuzhang.
量子計算機(jī)擁有傳統(tǒng)計算機(jī)所沒有的諸多優(yōu)勢，其應(yīng)用范圍也相當(dāng)廣泛。九章的主要研究人員潘建偉表示，九章的算法在機(jī)器學(xué)習(xí)、量子化學(xué)、圖論等領(lǐng)域具有潛在應(yīng)用價值。

According to Pan, quantum computing has already become a fierce competition ground among the United States, Europe and other developed regions. “The feat cements China’s position in the first echelon of nations in quantum computing,” the university said in a news release.
潘建偉稱，量子計算機(jī)已經(jīng)成為美國、歐洲及其他發(fā)達(dá)地區(qū)的“兵家必爭之地”。“這一成果牢固確立了中國在量子計算研究中的第一方陣地位，”該高校在一份新聞稿中如此表示。

Jiuzhang is currently only programmed to do boson sampling. “In the near future, scientists may increase Jiuzhang’s possible output states – a key indicator of computing power,” Lu Chaoyang, another key researcher behind Jiuzhang, told China Daily.
九章目前只能處理玻色取樣?！霸诓痪玫膶?，科學(xué)家或許會提高九章的潛在輸出態(tài)—— 這是計算能力的一個重要指標(biāo)，”另一位主要研究人員陸朝陽在接受《中國日報》采訪時表示。

以上文章內(nèi)容選自《21世紀(jì)學(xué)生英文報高中版》，詳情請見《21世紀(jì)學(xué)生英文報高中版》高三734期