p-Bits for Probabilistic Spin Logic*

The growing field of quantum computing is based on the concept of a q-bit which is a delicate superposition of 0 and 1, along with coherent coupling techniques for entangling them. By contrast a probabilistic bit or a p-bit is a robust classical entity that fluctuates between 0 and 1, and can be correlated using techniques borrowed from the field of neural networks.

Correlated p-bits are of course no substitute for entangled q-bits, but we will argue that they can be used as a poor man's q-bits that address a broad class of important problems including inference, “invertible” logic and optimization, using the same quantum algorithms but with added versatility. Further we will show that existing embedded MRAM technology with minor modifications can be used to implement room temperature p-bits and build large scale p-circuits [1].

[1] https://arxiv.org/abs/1809.04028