The key to quantum computing is preserving quantum
information. A classic computer bit has two states: 1 or 0. A quantum bit
however has the special property that it can be not just 1 or 0, but also 1 and
0 at the same time, and, in fact, everything in between. The biggest challenge
for quantum researchers is that a qubit in these ‘in-between’ states lose their
quantum information very quickly due to a process called ‘decoherence’ arising
from disturbances of the qubit from its surroundings. Researchers from Delft
University of Technology studied how decoherence could be measured in
mechanical resonators, basically tiny vibrating strings made from carbon
nanotubes, and found that the processes of decoherence in a vibrating nanotube
can be thought of in a very similar way as the decoherence of a quantum bit.
Using this similarity, you can visualize the loss of quantum information by
thinking about a vibrating guitar string. Their work was reported in Nature
Communications on Friday, December 19th.