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The first laser device was demonstrated in 1960. By 1961, patents on lasers already indicated applications in communication and meteorology[1]. Subsequent paten

by todd8 4y ago

The first laser device was demonstrated in 1960. By 1961, patents on lasers already indicated applications in communication and meteorology[1]. Subsequent patents included uses for range finding, chemical analysis of gases, drilling, and other uses. Amateur's were constructing working lasers in their basements within a year or two after the laser was invented. I grew up reading a monthly column in Scientific American titled The Amateur Scientist which in the 1960's described a number of laser projects that could be constructed by amateurs. 1964[2], 1965[3], 1967[4], 1969[5], 1970[6]. Naturally, projects using lasers were discussed in other books and magazines during this time as well. To me, Quantum computing seems very different than the history of lasers. [1] https://patents.google.com/patent/US3353115A/en https://patents.google.com/patent/US3353115A/en [2] Scientific American, THE AMATEUR SCIENTIST, Vol. 211, No. 3 (September 1964), pp. 227-242 (16 pages) [3] Scientific American, THE AMATEUR SCIENTIST, Vol. 213, No. 6 (December 1965), pp. 106-113 (8 pages) [4] Scientific American, THE AMATEUR SCIENTIST, Vol. 216, No. 2 (February 1967), pp. 122-134 (13 pages) [5] Scientific American, THE AMATEUR SCIENTIST, Vol. 220, No. 2 (February 1969), pp. 118-125 (8 pages) [6] Scientific American, THE AMATEUR SCIENTIST, Vol. 222, No. 2 (February 1970), pp. 116-121 (6 pages)

TheEzEzz 4y ago
I'm not a laser expert, but they seem reasonably similar and dissimilar on the surface. Lasers were first theorized in 1917, which is 43 years between theory and first demonstration. Quantum computing theory seems to date to 1980, also exactly 43 years ago from today (a neat coincidence!). In the meanwhile, plenty of applications of quantum computing have been proposed. The main difference seems to be the gap between a demonstration prototype and a useful prototype, where a useful laser followed soon after a first demonstration, whereas a useful quantum computer requires many more qubits than a simple demonstration device. I think there is also a bit of an unfair uphill battle that quantum computers have. They have to outcompete existing computers, which is a technology that perhaps has had more investment and refinement than any other human technology, so the bar to clear is high and may take longer. Or, maybe quantum computers will never reach that bar!

by todd8 4y ago

TheEzEzz 4y ago

I'm not a laser expert, but they seem reasonably similar and dissimilar on the surface. Lasers were first theorized in 1917, which is 43 years between theory and first demonstration. Quantum computing theory seems to date to 1980, also exactly 43 years ago from today (a neat coincidence!). In the meanwhile, plenty of applications of quantum computing have been proposed. The main difference seems to be the gap between a demonstration prototype and a useful prototype, where a useful laser followed soon after a first demonstration, whereas a useful quantum computer requires many more qubits than a simple demonstration device. I think there is also a bit of an unfair uphill battle that quantum computers have. They have to outcompete existing computers, which is a technology that perhaps has had more investment and refinement than any other human technology, so the bar to clear is high and may take longer. Or, maybe quantum computers will never reach that bar!