Room Temperature Quantum Chip

https://phys.org/news/2019-07-quantum-photonics-serendipity.html

This sounds like an analog chip that relies on topological quantum computing, and is designed for research instead of computing, but this is along the same lines as what Microsoft is working on. A room temperature single core optical processor could be anywhere up to a million times faster than anything on the market today, while a quantum version could make that look wimpy. There are currently so many different optical computers being researched its difficult to keep up, but this is the best sounding alternative I've heard yet to efforts to use nitrogen vacancies in diamond. If they can do it without having to use exotic materials this could become a standard form of quantum computer in the future. There are countless varieties of classical computers, including ones that are made of things other than silicon, with the issue often being just how cheaply it can be manufactured.

 

More proof that 42 is as good an answer as anything.

 

24