quantum bit

American  

noun

Computers.

1. the fundamental unit of information in a quantum computer, capable of existing in two states, 0 or 1, simultaneously or at a different time.

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quantum bit Scientific  

1. The smallest unit of information in a quantum computer. Unlike bits in classical systems, which are in one of two possible states labelled 1 and 0, a quantum bit exists in a superposition of these two states, settling on one or the other only when a measurement of the state is made.

2. Also called qubit

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Etymology

Origin of quantum bit

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

But complicating their application in quantum computing comes in the form of gaining accurate measurements of the quantum bit states.

From Science Daily • Oct. 20, 2023

But superposition means that a quantum bit, or qubit, isn’t confined to being just 0 or 1.

From Washington Post • Oct. 23, 2019

Quantum computers work in a fundamentally different way from classical machines: a classical bit is either a 1 or a 0, but a quantum bit, or qubit, can exist in multiple states at once.

From Nature • Oct. 22, 2019

That makes it a quantum bit, or qubit, capable of making multiple calculations simultaneously.

From Scientific American • May 25, 2018

The systems are based on the notion of a “qubit,” or quantum bit — a basic value capable of encompassing more information than the 1’s and 0’s that are the basis of classical digital computing.

From New York Times • May 4, 2016