Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2012, Dr. David Wineland will explain “superposition states,” “qubits” and experiments whose goal is to realize a quantum computer based on laser manipulations of atomic ions.
 
Dr. Wineland is currently a Philip H. Knight Distinguished Research Chair and Research Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Oregon in Eugene, OR.

Quantum computers differ from the everyday computers we know in many ways. The computers we use rely on bits of information that are either 0 or 1. Quantum computers use quantum bits, or qubits, to store and process information. Qubits can exist in a state of superposition, which means they can simultaneously be both 0 and 1, similar to a digital version of Schrödinger’s cat before the box is opened. This ability allows quantum computers to perform exponentially faster and solve problems deemed once impossible by classic computers. Researchers worldwide are exploring various platforms building a quantum computer, including utilizing lasercontrolled atoms.