Quantum Research Papers, Explained
The papers that shaped quantum computing — from Shor and Grover to quantum supremacy and utility — summarized in plain language with the key ideas and why they matter.
Algorithms for Quantum Computation: Discrete Logarithms and Factoring
Peter W. Shor
Shows a quantum computer can factor large integers exponentially faster than the best known classical algorithm — the result that launched quantum cryptanalysis.
A Fast Quantum Mechanical Algorithm for Database Search
Lov K. Grover
Provides a provable quadratic speedup for searching an unstructured space — the second foundational quantum algorithm.
Quantum Computing in the NISQ Era and Beyond
John Preskill
Coins the term 'NISQ' and sets realistic expectations for what near-term, noisy quantum devices can and cannot do.
Quantum Supremacy Using a Programmable Superconducting Processor
Frank Arute, Kunal Arya, Ryan Babbush, et al. (Google AI Quantum)
Reports the first experimental demonstration that a quantum processor can perform a specific task infeasible for classical supercomputers.
Evidence for the Utility of Quantum Computing Before Fault Tolerance
Youngseok Kim, Andrew Eddins, Sajant Anand, et al. (IBM Quantum)
Shows a noisy 127-qubit processor with error mitigation producing accurate results beyond brute-force classical simulation — 'quantum utility'.