Quantum Computing Is Coming — Special Session on Quantum Information and Communication Technology

What is Quantum? Special Session on the Hottest Topic in IT: “Quantum Technology”

On September 2, SDT invited Sang-Wook Han, director of the KIST Center for Quantum Information, to hold a special session on “Introduction to Quantum Information and Communication Technology” for SDT employees.

As the importance of security grows, expectations are rising that quantum computing will emerge as a ‘game-changer’ for security enhancement, and it is affecting not only the telecommunications industry but also the computing and sensing industries. In order to educate our developers on the importance of quantum computing, SDT held a special guest lecture on quantum computing.

Today’s lecture introduced a broad overview of the current state of quantum computing, walking the employees through basic concepts in quantum technology from industrial trends to real cases of quantum computing technology implementation. It was a great opportunity to learn more about the quantum technology industry through real-life quantum computing cases.

The Future of Computing, #QuantumComputing

Quantum technology is a technology that utilizes the physical characteristics of quantum, the smallest unit that can be used for information processing or communication. When it comes to quantum technology, the field that draws the most attention is quantum computing. A quantum computer is a computer that processes data using quantum mechanical phenomena such as superposition, entanglement, and uncertainty.

A regular computer exists with bits of 1’s and 0’s. A bit can either be a 1 or a 0, but not both. Thus to get all the permutations of a code string of 5 bits would take 32 bits. This equation gets exponentially larger the longer the code. A quantum computer has qubits that are able to exist in either a 1 or a 0 state, so those 5 qubits are all you need for every permutation in a string of five. Quantum computing is attracting attention as an innovative technology that can solve problems in just seconds that existing supercomputers would take tens of thousands of years to solve.

Although many routes are being taken in the pursuit of the most efficient quantum technology, there are currently three major types of quantum computing — using ion trap, diamond, and nanophysics technologies. While the computers themselves are relatively simple to manufacture, the current challenge is to make them usable at room temperature, as quantum computing needs near absolute zero (1 Kelvin, or -273 Celsius) to operate.

Recognizing the growing global importance of quantum technology, Korea is intensively researching quantum computing and investing in quantum technology in various industries. In Korea’s quantum communication sector, competition among major telecommunication companies is fierce, and a total of 48.1 billion KRW will be invested in the quantum communication business field in the near future, and there are plans to develop the country’s first 50 qubit processor with SDT.

Many non-telecommunication companies are also actively entering the quantum computer business. Global companies such as Google, IBM, and Intel are supporting the development of application services by providing quantum cloud services through commercialization of quantum computers. Volkswagen is working with D-Wave, a Canadian quantum computing company, to develop a traffic management system that solves traffic congestion by identifying the traffic routes of many vehicles. Google is working with German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim to develop new drugs using its quantum computing technology for “molecular simulations related to disease mechanisms”, which is difficult with existing computers.

Sang-Wook Han, director of the KIST Center for Quantum Information, said, “I am pleased to be giving a lecture for practitioners in the field.” He added, “Today’s special session introduced quantum technology, industry trends, and vision, to let you understand what role you can play in quantum technology. I hope there will be more quantum experts and quantum engineers in the future.”