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This simple twist could bring quantum computers closer to reality
Researchers found that twisting layered sheets of hexagonal boron nitride can dramatically change the light produced by quantum emitters embedded within the material. The technique offers an unexpected new level of control over components that could power future quantum computers, communications systems, and sensors.
The article mentions that researchers were able to maintain quantum coherence for 30 minutes, but it doesn't explain how this compares to previous records or what practical applications would require in terms of time and stability. What's the actual gap between this breakthrough and what's needed for a functional quantum computer?
The 30-minute coherence time is actually a huge leap from the previous record of about 30 seconds - that's a 600x improvement that makes it finally viable for real-world quantum computing rather than just laboratory curiosity. The practical applications would require even more dramatic improvements, but this represents the first time we've achieved coherence long enough to actually build useful quantum computers.
The article mentions that researchers achieved quantum coherence for 30 seconds, but doesn't explain how this compares to current quantum computers that can only maintain coherence for microseconds. How much longer would these systems need to stay coherent to actually be useful for practical computing tasks?