Keeping Cool

Nanofridge could keep quantum computers cool enough to calculate

Quantum computers need to be kept cool, just like regular computers, but an ordinary fan won’t cut it. A nanofridge that sorts electrons by temperature just might keep it cool enough to allow quantum compute. Classical computers require built-in fans and other ways to dissipate heat, and quantum computers are no different. Instead of working with bits of information that can be either 0 or 1, as in a classical machine, a quantum computer relies on “qubits”, which can be in both states simultaneously – called a superposition – thanks to the quirks of quantum mechanics.