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Cold numbers: Superconducting supercomputers and presumptive anomaly
- Publication Year :
- 2019
-
Abstract
- In February 2014 Time magazine announced to the world that the first quantum computer had been put in use. One key component of this computer is the “Josephson-junction,” a superconducting device, based on completely different scientific and technological principles with respect to semiconductors. The origin of superconductors dates back to the 1960s, to a large-scale 20-year long IBM project aimed at building ultrafast computers. We present a detailed study of the relationship between Science and Technology making use of the theoretical tools of presumptive anomaly and technological paradigms: superconductors were developed while the semiconductors revolution was in full swing. We adopt a historiographical approach—using a snowballing technique to sift through the relevant literature from various epistemological domains and technical publications—to extract theoretically robust insights from a narrative which concerns great scientific advancements, technological leaps forward and business-driven innovation. The study we present shows how technological advancements, business dynamics, and policy intertwine.
- Subjects :
- Physics
Superconductivity
Economics and Econometrics
Condensed matter physics
business.industry
Condensed Matter - Superconductivity
05 social sciences
Physics - History and Philosophy of Physics
FOS: Physical sciences
Superconductivity (cond-mat.supr-con)
0502 economics and business
History and Philosophy of Physics (physics.hist-ph)
Microelectronics
050207 economics
Anomaly (physics)
business
050203 business & management
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....455d69523e14337de8d5be3bd296e17c