VOA慢速英语--IBM表示，新的量子处理器可以制造速度更快的计算机

The American technology company IBM says that it has designed a new, very powerful quantum computer processor.

The company's leaders made the announcement Monday. They said the processor, or chip, will lead to quantum systems performing better than traditional computer systems at some tasks within the next two years.

Quantum computers use quantum physics to perform difficult computing¹ tasks.

IBM said that its Eagle computing chip has 127 qubits. A qubit is a basic measure of quantum information. Traditional computers work using bits of information that represent either 1 or 0. But qubits can be 1 and 0 at the same time.

Qubits could make quantum computers work much faster than normal computers. But they are very difficult to build and require extremely low temperatures to work correctly. IBM said that its new Eagle chip is the first to have more than 100 qubits.

IBM said new refrigeration and control system methods that it learned building the Eagle chip will help produce chips with more qubits in the future. The company said it plans an Osprey chip in 2022 with 433 qubits and a Condor² chip with 1,121 qubits.

In a few years, the company said it will be close to what is called the "quantum advantage." That is when quantum computers are expected to perform better than traditional computers.

Darío Gil is a vice³ president at IBM and leads its research division. He said that quantum computers will not replace traditional computers all at once. In the future, he thinks some parts of computer programs will work on traditional chips and some parts will work on quantum chips, whichever works best for each task.

"We believe that we will be able to reach a demonstration⁴ of quantum advantage — something that can have practical value — within the next couple of years. That is our quest⁵," Gil said.

Words in This Story

task— n. a piece of work that has been given to someone or something; a job that must be done

refrigeration — n. to put or keep something in a refrigerator, a device that keeps things at a low temperature

advantage — n. a good or desirable quality; a gain

practical — adj. relating to what is real rather than to what is possible or imagined

quest — n. a long and difficult effort to find something

1 computing   

n.计算

参考例句：

• to work in computing 从事信息处理
• Back in the dark ages of computing, in about 1980, they started a software company. 早在计算机尚未普及的时代（约1980年），他们就创办了软件公司。

2 condor   

n.秃鹰；秃鹰金币

参考例句：

• The condor soars above the mountain heights.禿鹰翱翔于高山之上。
• A condor prepares to fly in Colombia.一只兀鹰在哥伦比亚准备振翅高飞。

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

5 quest   

n.寻求，搜索，追求

参考例句：

• Man will suffer many disappointments in his quest for truth.人类在探索真理过程中必然会遭受挫折。
• His quest for perfection is relentless.他不断追求完美。