Quantum wave processing

Abstract In recent years, the concept of quantum computing has arisen as a methodology by which very rapid computations can be achieved. In general, the ‘speed’ of these computations is compared to that of (classical) digital computers, which use sequential algorithms. However, in most quantum computing approaches, the qubits themselves are treated as analog objects. One then needs to ask whether this computational speed-up of the computation is a result of the quantum mechanics, or whether it is due to the nature of the analog structures that are being ‘generated’ for quantum computation? In this paper, we will make two points: (1) quantum computation utilizes analog, parallel computation which often offers no speed advantage over classical computers which are implemented using analog, parallel computation; (2) once this is realized, then there is little advantage in projecting the quantum computation onto the pseudo-binary construct of a qubit. Rather, it becomes more effective to seek the equivalent wave processing that is inherent in the analog, parallel processing. We will examine some wave processing systems which may be useful for quantum computation.