MilestoneHardwareConfirmed

Bristol photons run a compiled Shor's algorithm to factor 21

Oct 21, 2012

A University of Bristol team reports in Nature Photonics a photonic run of Shor's algorithm that factors 21, recycling one qubit to cut the hardware needed. The circuit is a compiled version, simplified for this one number.

Why it matters

It moved the factoring record from 15 to 21. The tiny size shows how far quantum computers still are from breaking real encryption.

Enrique Martín-López · Anthony Laing · Jeremy L. O'Brien · Bristol

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Related

• IBM and Stanford run Shor's algorithm on a 7-qubit computer to factor 15 (Dec 20, 2001)