David A. Meyer,
``Rydberg state manipulation is not quantum computation'',
in D. A. Meyer, P. G. Kwiat, R. J. Hughes, P. H. Bucksbaum, J. Ahn and T. C. Weinacht,
``Does Rydberg state manipulation equal quantum computation?'',
Science 289 (1 sep 2000) 1431a.

In this Technical Comment on J. Ahn, T. C. Weinacht and P. H. Bucksbaum, ``Information storage and retrieval through quantum phase'', Science 287 (2000) 463-465, I explain that not every quantum mechanical system which performs a computation should be considered to be a quantum computer, and in particular, the Rydberg atom of their experiments is not.

Reprint (3 pages): [HTML], [PDF (99K)].