Quantum logic Schrodinger cats

Here, we rq>ort related trapped-ion research at NIST on (1) the study of the dynamics of a two-level atomic system coupled to harmonic atomic motion, (2) the creation and characterization of nonclassical states of motion such as Schrodinger-cat superposition states, and (3) quantum logic for the generation of highly entangled states and for the investigation of scaling in a quantum computer. 

The state represented by Eq. (15) is of the same form as that ofEq. (10). Both involve entangled superpositions and both are subject to the destructive effects of decoherence. Creation of SchrOdinger cats like Eq. (10) is particularly relevant to the ion-based quantum computer because the primary source of decoherence will probably be due to decoherence of the n=0,l) motional states during the logic operations. 

Why is quantum computing more powerful than its classical counterpart A classical bit can have the logical values 0 or 1. The qubit, its quantum counterpart, can have the values 0 and 1 at the same time. This is directly related to other seemingly paradoxical statements often heard in connection with quantum mechanics, such as, Schrodinger s cat is both dead and alive. This example can be easily associated with a qubit by assigning dead to 0 and alive to 1. 

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