Quantum computers can, in principle, exceed the speed of ordinary computers by taking advantage of quantum coherence and entanglement. It is possible to find a needle in a haystack of [Formula Presented] straws in only [Formula Presented] searches by utilizing coherent superposition states. In the present paper we show how modern quantum optics may provide a simple and practicable quantum search procedure, which may also yield insights into quantum search algorithms in general. 2001 The American Physical Society.
