In a proposal that reads more like the script to a new sci-fi movie, researchers are suggesting a unique way to tackle one of the core problems of quantum computing. If deployed, it would redefine how we think of "cloud computing."
With both Amazon and Microsoft announcing the release of quantum chips this year, the idea of computers that rely on subatomic particles known as qubits is steadily inching closer to reality. Qubits are particles that take advantage of the concept known as superposition, meaning that unlike regular bits in our current computers, they can not only have a state of zero or one – but both at the same time. This ability to hold two states at once means that quantum computers should one day be able to excel at solving incredibly complex scientific puzzles at speeds never thought possible.
There's one big issue with quantum computers though: most qubits need to be kept at ultracold temperatures just above absolute zero in order to function correctly. So building these machines at scale would require a significant energy expenditure to keep them cool.
A new proposal from researchers at Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) sidesteps this issue with a unique approach.
Writing in the journal npj Wireless Technology, the trio proposes using airships, also commonly known as blimps, to lift quantum computers to the stratosphere. There, at an altitude of about 20 km (12.4 miles), temperatures are in the -50 °C range (about -58 °F) and would be cold enough to allow the qubits to function correctly. They call these systems Quantum Computing-Enabled High Altitude Platforms (QC-HAPs), and propose that they would be equipped not only with the quantum computers, but with solar panels and lithium-sulfur batteries as well.
Because the HAPs would float far above clouds and potentially disruptive weather systems, they could operate and charge their batteries using solar energy during the day, and switch to the batteries for nighttime functionality.
In terms of accessing the floating computers, the team proposes beaming data through the atmosphere to base stations using light waves, through a process known as free-space optical communication. This echoes a process tested earlier this year in which the world's longest quantum communications link used photons for data transmission and encryption.
For cloudy days, they suggest equipping the blimps with radio-frequency transmission and, to reduce signal degradation, the team says that balloon-supported platforms at lower altitudes could be used as relay stations.
The researchers say their proposal could save 21% in energy costs for a quantum computer relying on ion trap qubits, individually charged atoms held in place by electromagnetic fields and controlled by lasers. Furthermore, they say that the individual airships could move around the globe as needed and could be linked together to increase computing power. This would create “a dynamic fleet capable of delivering on-demand, scalable quantum computation services worldwide”, according to Wiem Abderrahim, one of the three authors on the study.
The team acknowledges that its concept is still a long way from a real-world rollout, with significant advances in quantum computing hardware needed as a first step. However, the scientists plan to continue exploring the path on which this study placed them.
"Our next steps are to move from the conceptual and analytic stage toward more implementation-focused studies," concludes Osama Amin, a research scientist in the team.
Source: KAUST
