Qubit (IMAGE)

Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology

Qubit

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The qubit is the basic element of a quantum computer. It has two basis states, viz., |0? and |1?. The distinction between the classical bit and its quantum counterpart lies in more than just fancy brackets (these are the standard quantum mechanical notation for a state). The essential property of a qubit is its ability to be in a superposition of the two basis states: A|0?+B|1?. A classical bit, on the other hand, can only have one of the two values (0 or 1). The term "qudit" can be used to refer to higher-level quantum systems with more than two states.

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