A paper published in the journal Science from researchers at MIT and the University of Innsbruck in Austria reported that they have successfully designed and built a quantum computer from 5 atoms held in place by an ionic trap. The computer is controlled by laser pulses which carry out Shor’s algorithm on each individual atom, which was able to correctly factor the number 15. The system was built in such a way that it can be expanded using more lasers and atoms to create a bigger and faster computer, that one day could factor much larger numbers (and crack all encryption methods). The results claim to represent the first implementation of Shor’s algorithm which has the ability to be scaled.
http://interestingengineering.com/new-quantum-computer-break-encryption/
http://interestingengineering.com/new-quantum-computer-break-encryption/
