QUANTUM COMPUTING

This paper is written for those computer scientists and computer engineers who are interested in quantum computing but know little about quantum mechanics. The technical terms and symbols of quantum computing are first introduced. The questions of why an n bit quantum register can store 2 n n bit numbers, why quantum computer can compute f（x） of all x by one operation, and why a quantum computer can solve some problems with astonishing speed, are clarified. Quantum logical gates and quantum logical networks, Shor’s quantum algorithm for large number factorization, and the architecture of quantum computers are presented in succession. Finally, the strength and weakness, the physical implementation and the perspective of quantum computers are discussed.