"It's an entirely new way of storing and processing information," Chris Monroe said.
Monroe is the director of the Duke Quantum Center, where researchers got the green light and funding to plan a 256-qubit trapped-ion quantum computer.
Quantum computers are made of something called qubits, which researchers use lasers to create. There are a few quantum computers in the Triangle, including at the Duke Quantum Center.
"At the very least, one could expect that building quantum computers on a 300-qubit scale will improve computing as a whole," Assistant Professor of Physics Marko Cetina said.
Cetina explained how the quantum system can help crack today's unsolvable problems by bringing stronger calculating might to sectors, such as chemistry or finance.
"That exponential growth of capability is what's making people very excited to use such computers to solve interesting problems, especially since many interesting problems already obey the rules of quantum mechanics," Cetina said.
Nathan Taylor, who is a grad student at Duke University, said he hopes there are more opportunities with quantum, especially in Durham.
"I think that what it's missing is the industry presence," Taylor said. "There's a bunch of quantum computing startups, but we don't have any of that infrastructure here yet. So, I think that if there was an industry partner in the area, it would create a stronger feedback loop for students in the community to make them more interested in the field."
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