Category Archives: Quantum Physics
‘Time Traveling’ Quantum Sensor Breakthrough Allows Scientists to Gather Data from the Past – The Debrief
Time travel, widely recognized as a staple of science fiction stories and films, is at least theoretically possible under certain conditions. These include situations like extremely high-speed travel through space, as well as a travelers proximity to particularly strong sources of gravity.
However, new research suggests scientists could be moving closer to extending the manipulation of time beyond theory and into practical use, thanks to new innovations in quantum physics.
Einsteins theory of relativity helped to show the intimate connection between time and space, revealing that as a travelers speed while passing through space increases, their experience of time slows down. This reality has been experimentally verified in experiments involving observed variances on separate clocks that reveal what physicists call time dilation.
Technically, as we walk down the street on any given day of the week, our feet are moving through time at a slightly different rate than our head, given the closer proximity of our lower body to Earths gravitational field. However, such variances are so subtle that they are indiscernible, and quirks of space and time like these have little practical significance.
However, recent research by a team at Washington University in St. Louis, along with collaborators from NIST and the University of Cambridge, is revealing how a new kind of quantum sensor designed to leverage quantum entanglement could lead to a form of real-life time-traveling detectors. The breakthrough discovery, detailed in a new study published on June 27, 2024, presents a bold possibility: scientists could soon be able to collect data from the past.
In their paper, the team describes experiments involving a two-qubit superconducting quantum processor. Their measurements demonstrated a quantum advantage that outperformed every strategy that did not involve the phenomena of quantum entanglement. The results of their study could potentially enable data from the past to be collected by leveraging the unique properties of what Einstein called spooky action at a distance.
While impossible in our everyday world, the realm of quantum physics offers possibilities that defy conventional rules. Central to this advancement is a property of entangled quantum sensors referred to as hindsight.
Kater Murch, the Charles M. Hohenberg Professor of Physics and Director of the Center for Quantum Leaps at Washington University, likens the teams investigations into these concepts to sending a telescope back in time and allowing it to capture imagery of a shooting star.
In their research, the team devised a process where two quantum particles were entangled in a quantum singlet state, comprising a pair of qubits whose opposing spins are always oriented in opposite directions, no matter their frame of reference. One of the qubits, which the researchers designate as the probe, is then introduced to a magnetic field, which induces rotation.
Meanwhile, the qubit that has not been exposed to a magnetic field is measured. This reveals a key aspect of the teams innovation, given that the entanglement properties shared between the two qubits allow the quantum state of the ancillary qubit to influence the probe qubit under the influence of the magnetic field. The remarkable result is that the probe qubit is retroactively influenced, which effectively facilitates the ability to send information back in time.
This means that scientists are technically able to employ this phenomenon of hindsight to determine the optimal direction for the spin of the probe qubit after the fact, almost as if they are watching from the future but controlling the qubits behavior in the past. This allows them to increase the accuracy of measurements.
Under most circumstances, measuring a qubits spin rotation as a means of gauging the size of a magnetic field would have about a one in three chance of failure since the alignment of the field with the spins direction effectively nullifies results. By contrast, the hindsight property allowed the team the unique ability to set the best direction for the spin retroactively.
Under these conditions, the entangled particles effectively function as a single entity that simultaneously exists in both forward and backward positions in time, thereby allowing innovative potentials in the creation of advanced quantum sensors that could produce temporally manipulated measurements.
The implications of such technology are significant and could help give rise to all new sensor technologies, from the detection of rare astronomical phenomena to greatly improving the way researchers study and manipulate the behavior of magnetic fields.
Ultimately, the teams new time travel technology likely marks a significant step toward bringing this well-recognized science fiction concept into reality, allowing innovative new possibilities and insights into nature that extend beyond our current mastery of time.
Published under the innocuous title Agnostic Phase Estimation, the groundbreaking new study by Murch and co-authors Xingrui Song, Flavio Salvati, Chandrashekhar Gaikwad, Nicole Yunger Halpern, and David R.M. Arvidsson-Shukur, appeared in Physical Review Letters.
Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. He can be reached by email atmicah@thedebrief.org. Follow his work atmicahhanks.comand on X:@MicahHanks.
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Higgs boson God particle still remains a quantum mystery after 12 years – Earth.com
The discovery of the Higgs boson has been a captivating journey for physicists worldwide since the particle was first detected in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) about twelve years ago.
This monumental finding, confirming the existence of the elusive particle theorized almost half a century prior, has unlocked new avenues of exploration and understanding in particle physics.
Despite dedicated research, the properties of this enigmatic particle remain somewhat shrouded in mystery.
Today, the scientific community embraces a new breakthrough that brings us a step closer to understanding the origin of the Higgs boson.
This exciting breakthrough comes from an international group of theoretical physicists, including members from the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
These scientists have pooled their expertise and resources in a concerted effort to unravel the complexities of the Higgs boson.
For many years, the Higgs boson has remained the crowning glory of discoveries made with the Large Hadron Collider.
Yet, understanding its properties has proven to be a colossal challenge, mainly due to the scientific hurdles encountered during experimental and computational studies.
Established in the 1970s, the Standard Model is a theoretical framework designed to explain the elementary particles of matter accurately.
From quarks to electrons, this model has been instrumental in understanding how various electromagnetic and nuclear forces interact.
The Higgs boson, discovered thanks to the LHC, is the coveted jewel of the Standard Model. It holds a pivotal role in the mechanism that bestows masses to other elementary particles.
Without the Higgs field, particles would not have mass, and the universe as we know it would be drastically different.
Dr. Rene Poncelet from the IFJ PAN, part of this important research, provides clarity on the significance of their work.
We have focused on the theoretical determination of the Higgs boson cross section in gluon-gluon collisions. These collisions are responsible for the production of about 90% of the Higgs, traces of whose presence have been registered in the detectors of the LHC accelerator, Poncelet explained.
This work delves deeper into the quantum realm, where interactions are governed by the rules of quantum mechanics, offering deeper insights into the fundamental workings of our universe.
One of the co-authors of this research, Prof. Michal Czakon from the RWTH, explains why their work is a scientific achievement.
The essence of our work was the desire to take into account, when determining the active cross section for the production of Higgs bosons, certain corrections that are usually neglected because ignoring them significantly simplifies the calculations, Czakon claims.
Its the first time we have succeeded in overcoming the mathematical difficulties and determining these corrections.
This finding is a triumph over mathematical challenges and a testament to the rigorous and meticulous nature of scientific inquiry.
This work has contributed to a more profound understanding of the Higgs bosons and opened avenues for further research.
The teams findings indicate that the mechanisms responsible for the formation of Higgs bosons, at least for now, show no signs of diverging from the established physics.
However, questions still abound:
Why do elementary particles carry the masses they do?
Why do they form families?
What exactly is dark matter?
What causes the dominance of matter over antimatter in the Universe?
These inquiries take us beyond the scope of the Standard Model, hinting at the existence of new physics. The pursuit to answer these questions is not just about theoretical curiosity; it has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the universe and even lead to new technologies.
In the coming years, as more particle collisions are observed with the fourth research cycle of the LHC, reducing measurement uncertainties and bringing us closer to understanding the Higgs boson may be possible.
Each new cycle of experiments at the LHC is like turning a page in a giant book of the universe, revealing new insights and deepening our comprehension of the cosmos.
For now, the Standard Model remains secure, standing strong in the face of mysteries yet to be unraveled in the world of quantum mechanics. Lets brace ourselves; the quest to solve these mysteries promises to be nothing short of fascinating.
This journey reflects the enduring human spirit to explore the unknown, a spirit that has driven scientific and technological progress throughout history.
The full study was published in the journal Physical Review Letters.
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Higgs boson God particle still remains a quantum mystery after 12 years - Earth.com
Strange Motion of Neutrons Proves Nature Is Fundamentally Bizarre – ScienceAlert
At the very smallest scales, our intuitive view of reality no longer applies. It's almost as if physics is fundamentally indecisive, a truth that gets harder to ignore as we zoom in on the particles that pixelate our Univerrse.
In order to better understand it, physicists had to devise an entirely new framework to place it in, one based on probability over certainty. This is quantum theory, and it describes all sorts of phenomena, from entanglement to superposition.
Yet in spite of a century of experiments showing just how useful quantum theory is at explaining what we see, it's hard to shake our 'classical' view of the Universe's building blocks as reliable fixtures in time and space. Even Einstein was forced to ask his fellow physicist, "Do you really believe the Moon is not there when you are not looking at it?"
Numerous physicists have asked over the decades whether there is some way the physics we use to describe macroscopic experiences can also be used to explain all of quantum physics.
Now a new study has also determined that the answer is a big fat nope.
Specifically, neutrons fired in a beam in a neutron interferometer can exist in two places at the same time, something that is impossible under classical physics.
The test is based on a mathematical assertion called the Leggett-Garg inequality, which states that a system is always determinately in one or the other of the states available to it. Basically, Schrdinger's Cat is either alive or dead, and we are able to determine which of those states it is in without our measurements having an effect on the outcome.
Macro systems those we can reliably understand using classical physics alone obey the Leggett-Garg inequality. But systems in the quantum realm violate it. The cat is alive and dead simultaneously, an analogy for quantum superposition.
"The idea behind it is similar to the more famous Bell's inequality, for which the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded in 2022," says physicist Elisabeth Kreuzgruber of the Vienna University of Technology.
"However, Bell's inequality is about the question of how strongly the behavior of a particle is related to another quantum entangled particle. The Leggett-Garg inequality is only about one single object and asks the question: how is its state at specific points in time related to the state of the same object at other specific points in time?"
The neutron interferometer involves firing a beam of neutrons at a target. As the beam travels through the apparatus, it splits in two, with each of the beam's prongs traveling separate paths until they are later recombined.
Leggett and Garg's theorem states that a measurement on a simple binary system can effectively give two results. Measure it again in the future, those results will be correlated, but only up to a certain point.
For quantum systems, Leggett and Garg's theorem no longer applies, permitting correlations above this threshold. In effect this would give researchers a way to distinguish whether a system needs a quantum theorem to be understood.
"However, it is not so easy to investigate this question experimentally," says physicist Richard Wagner of the Vienna University of Technology. "If we want to test macroscopic realism, then we need an object that is macroscopic in a certain sense, i.e. that has a size comparable to the size of our usual everyday objects."
In order to achieve this, the space between the two parts of the neutron beam in the interferometer is on a scale that's more macro than quantum.
"Quantum theory says that every single neutron travels on both paths at the same time," says physicist Niels Geerits of the Vienna University of Technology . "However, the two partial beams are several centimeters apart. In a sense, we are dealing with a quantum object that is huge by quantum standards."
Using several different measurement methods, the researchers probed the neutron beams at different times. And, sure enough, the measurements were too closely correlated for the classical rules of macro reality to be at play. The neutrons, their measurements suggested, were actually traveling simultaneously on two separate paths, separated by a distance of several centimeters.
It's just the latest in a long string of Leggett-Garg experiments that show we really do need quantum theory in order to describe the Universe we live in.
"Our experiment shows: Nature really is as strange as quantum theory claims," says physicist Stephan Sponar of the Vienna University of Technology. "No matter which classical, macroscopically realistic theory you come up with: It will never be able to explain reality. It doesn't work without quantum physics."
The research has been published in Physical Review Letters.
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Strange Motion of Neutrons Proves Nature Is Fundamentally Bizarre - ScienceAlert
With spin centers, quantum computing takes a step forward – EurekAlert
image:
Photo showsShan-Wen Tsai (left) and Troy Losey.
Credit: Tsai lab, UC Riverside.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. --Quantum computing, which uses the laws of quantum mechanics, can solve pressing problems in a broad range of fields, from medicine to machine learning, that are too complex for classical computers. Quantum simulators are devices made of interacting quantum units that can be programmed to simulate complex models of the physical world. Scientists can then obtain information about these models, and, by extension, about the real worldby varying the interactions in a controlled way and measuring the resulting behavior of the quantum simulators.
In apaper published in Physical Review B, and selected by the journal as an editors' suggestion, a UC Riverside-led research team has proposed a chain of quantum magnetic objects, called spin centers, that, in the presence of an external magnetic field, can quantum simulate a variety of magnetic phases of matter as well as the transitions between these phases.
We are designing new devices that house the spin centers and can be used to simulate and learn about interesting physical phenomena that cannot be fully studied with classical computers, saidShan-Wen Tsai, a professor ofphysics and astronomy, who led the research team. Spin centers in solid state materials are localized quantum objects with great untapped potential for the design of new quantum simulators.
According toTroy Losey, Tsais graduate student and first author of the paper, advances with these devices could make it possible to study more efficient ways of storing and transferring information, while also developing methods needed to create room temperature quantum computers.
We have many ideas for how to make improvements to spin-center-based quantum simulators compared to this initial proposed device, he said. Employing these new ideas and considering more complex arrangements of spin centers could help create quantum simulators that are easy to build and operate, while still being able to simulate novel and meaningful physics.
Below, Tsai and Losey answer a couple of questions about the research:
Q: What is a quantum simulator?
Tsai: It is a device that exploits the unusual behaviors of quantum mechanics to simulate interesting physics that is too difficult for a regular computer to calculate. Unlike quantum computers that operate with qubits and universal gate operations, quantum simulators are individually designed to simulate/solve specific problems. By trading off universal programmability of quantum computers in favor of exploiting the richness of different quantum interactions and geometrical arrangements, quantum simulators may be easier to implement and provide new applications for quantum devices, which is relevant because quantum computers arent yet universally useful.
A spin center is a roughly atom-sized quantum magnetic object that can be placed in a crystal. It can store quantum information, communicate with other spin centers, and be controlled with lasers.
Q: What are some applications of this work?
Losey: We can build the proposed quantum simulator to simulate exotic magnetic phases of matter and the phase transitions between them. These phase transitions are of great interest because at these transitions the behaviors of very different systems become identical, which implies that there are underlying physical phenomena connecting these different systems.
The techniques used to build this device can also be used for spin-center-based quantum computers, which are a leading candidate for the development of room temperature quantum computers, whereas most quantum computers require extremely cold temperatures to function. Furthermore, our device assumes that the spin centers are placed in a straight line, but it is possible to place the spin centers in up to 3-dimensional arrangements. This could allow for the study of spin-based information devices that are more efficient than methods that are currently used by computers.
As quantum simulators are easier to build and operate than quantum computers, we can currently use quantum simulators to solve certain problems that regular computers dont have the abilities to address, while we wait for quantum computers to become more refined. However, this doesnt mean that quantum simulators can be built without challenge, as we are just now getting close to being good enough at manipulating spin centers, growing pure crystals, and working at low temperatures to build the quantum simulator that we propose.
The University of California, Riverside is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment is more than 26,000 students. The campus opened a medical school in 2013 and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Center. The campus has an annual impact of more than $2.7 billion on the U.S. economy. To learn more, visit http://www.ucr.edu.
Physical Review B
Computational simulation/modeling
Not applicable
Quantum simulation of the spin- 1 2 XYZ model using solid-state spin centers
8-Jul-2024
Authors have no conflict of interest.
Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.
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With spin centers, quantum computing takes a step forward - EurekAlert
Dubai to Host the Second Edition of The Quantum Innovation Summit – The Quantum Insider
Insider Brief
PRESS RELEASE The Quantum Innovation Summit returns for its second edition from February 25-27, 2025, at The H Hotel, with additional virtual participation via the QIS Event APP. Hosted by Vernewell Group, this prestigious event coincides with the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, declared by the United Nations for 2025. Celebrating 100 years of quantum mechanics, the summit aims to catalyze global advancements and collaborations in quantum technologies, setting a transformative agenda for key industries worldwide.
Theme: Quantum Frontiers: Innovating for a Secure Future Building upon the formidable success of its inaugural edition, this years theme emphasizes the pivotal role of quantum technologies in tackling critical global challenges, from enhancing global security to promoting health and environmental sustainability. The Quantum Innovation Summit 2025 is dedicated to significantly elevating global awareness and accelerating the deployment of quantum technologies across critical sectors such as energy, aviation, cybersecurity, finance, defense, and space exploration.
Malak Trabelsi Loeb, Founder and President of Vernewell Group, reflects on the Summits goals: The second edition of the Quantum Innovation Summit is designed as a catalyst for profound industry transformations. By showcasing practical applications and encouraging the adoption of quantum technologies, we are not only celebrating a century of quantum mechanics but are actively shaping a future where these technologies are at the heart of industry innovation and global problem-solving. She adds: With this edition, we aim to catalyze a major leap forward, propelling quantum innovations to new heights and driving profound transformations across diverse industries.
Key Features of the Summit:
Official Academic Partner:We are excited to announce our partnership with the Center for Quantum and Topological Systems (CQTS) at New York University Abu Dhabi. This partnership is set to promote groundbreaking research and influential collaborations in quantum technologies.
Sponsorship and Exhibition Opportunities:For opportunities to sponsor, exhibit, or speak, please contact us at[emailprotected]. We aim to optimize ROI for our partners by transforming prospects into tangible outcomes.
Join Us:Do not miss this chance to ignite innovation, seize opportunities, and secure your future in the quantum realm. For more information, visitquantuminnovationsummit.com
About Vernewell Group
Vernewell Group Inc. oversees a portfolio of subsidiaries in key sectors such as space and deep tech, with an emphasis on quantum technology, cryptography, and artificial intelligence. Our corporate strategy centers on robust risk management and proactive growth initiatives. At Vernewell Group Inc., we focus on creating a diversified and synergistic ecosystem of companies and partnerships in the Middle East and North Africa. We aim to drive the success of our subsidiaries, ensuring they lead in their respective fields while contributing to the broader advancement of technology and education in the region. Our mission is to be a pivotal force in shaping the future of these high-tech industries, fostering innovation, and setting new standards of excellence with a human-centric approach.
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Dubai to Host the Second Edition of The Quantum Innovation Summit - The Quantum Insider
Probing Dark Matter: Quantum Technology and the Quest To Solve Space’s Biggest Mystery – SciTechDaily
Researchers are using quantum technologies to develop sensitive dark matter detectors, focusing on two likely candidates: weakly interacting particles and axions. The technology involves superfluid helium-3 and quantum amplifiers. (Artists concept.) Credit: SciTechDaily.com
Scientists are employing advanced quantum technologies to build highly sensitive dark matter detectors, aiming to directly observe and identify dark matter, which makes up 80% of the universes matter.
One of the greatest mysteries of science could be one step closer to being solved.
Approximately 80% of the matter in the universe is dark, meaning that it cannot be seen. In fact, dark matter is passing through us constantly possibly at a rate of trillions of particles per second.
We know it exists because we can see the effects of its gravity, but experiments to date have so far failed to detect it.
Taking advantage of the most advanced quantum technologies, scientists from Lancaster University, the University of Oxford, and Royal Holloway, University of London are building the most sensitive dark matter detectors to date.
Their public exhibit entitled A Quantum View of the Invisible Universe was showcased at this years Royal Societys flagship Summer Science Exhibition.
The researchers include Dr. Michael Thompson, Professor Edward Laird, Dr. Dmitry Zmeev, and Dr. Samuli Autti from Lancaster, Professor Jocelyn Monroe from Oxford, and Professor Andrew Casey from RHUL.
EPSRC Fellow Dr Autti said: We are using quantum technologies at ultra-low temperatures to build the most sensitive detectors to date. The goal is to observe this mysterious matter directly in the laboratory and solve one of the greatest enigmas in science.
The experiment is at about a 10,000th of a degree above absolute zero in a special refrigerator; Dr. Autti (right). Credit: Lancaster University
There is indirect observational evidence of the typical dark matter density in the galaxy, but the mass of the constituent particles and their possible interactions with ordinary atoms are unknown.
Particle physics theory suggests two likely dark matter candidates: new particles with interactions so weak we havent observed them yet, and, very light wave-like particles termed axions. The team is building two experiments, one to search for each.
Of the two candidates, new particles with ultra-weak interactions could be detected through their collisions with ordinary matter. However, whether these collisions can be identified in an experiment depends on the mass of the dark matter being searched for. Most searches so far would be able to detect dark matter particles weighing between five and 1,000 times more than a hydrogen atom, but it is possible that much lighter dark matter candidates may have been missed.
The Quantum Enhanced Superfluid Technologies for Dark Matter and Cosmology (QUEST-DMC) team aims to reach world-leading sensitivity to collisions with dark matter candidates with mass between 0.01 to a few hydrogen atoms. To achieve this, the detector is made of superfluid helium-3, cooled into a macroscopic quantum state, and instrumented with superconducting quantum amplifiers. Combining these two quantum technologies creates the sensitivity to measure extremely weak signatures of dark matter collisions.
By contrast, if dark matter is made from axions, they will be extremely light more than a billion times lighter than a hydrogen atom but correspondingly more abundant. Scientists would not be able to detect collisions with axions, but they can search instead for another signature an electrical signal that results when axions decay in a magnetic field. This effect can only be measured using an exquisitely sensitive amplifier that works at the highest precision allowed by quantum mechanics. The Quantum Sensors for the Hidden Sector (QSHS) team is therefore developing a new class of quantum amplifier that is perfectly suited to search for an axion signal.
The stand at this years exhibition will enable visitors to observe the unseeable with imaginative hands-on exhibits for all ages.
Demonstrating how we infer dark matter from observing galaxies, there will be a gyroscope-in-a-box that moves in surprising ways due to the unseen angular momentum. There will also be glass marbles that are transparent in liquid, showing how invisible masses may be observed using clever experimentation.
A light-up dilution refrigerator will demonstrate how the team achieves ultra-low temperatures, and a model dark matter particle collision detector will show how our Universe would behave if dark matter behaved like normal matter.
Visitors can then search for dark matter with a model axion detector by scanning the frequency of a radio receiver, and they can also create their own parametric amplifier using a pendulum.
Cosmologist Carlos Frenk, Fellow of the Royal Society and Chair of the Public Engagement Committee, said: Science is vital in helping us understand the world we live in past, present, and future. I urge visitors of all ages to come along with an open mind, curiosity, and enthusiasm and celebrate incredible scientific achievements that are benefiting us all.
Reference: QUEST-DMC: Background Modelling and Resulting Heat Deposit for a Superfluid Helium-3 Bolometer by S. Autti, A. Casey, N. Eng, N. Darvishi, P. Franchini, R. P. Haley, P. J. Heikkinen, A. Kemp, E. Leason, L. V. Levitin, J. Monroe, J. March-Russel, M. T. Noble, J. R. Prance, X. Rojas, T. Salmon, J. Saunders, R. Smith, M. D. Thompson, V. Tsepelin, S. M. West, L. Whitehead, K. Zhang and D. E. Zmeev, 15 May 2024, Journal of Low Temperature Physics. DOI: 10.1007/s10909-024-03142-w
The research in this exhibit is supported by the UKRI Quantum Technologies for Fundamental Physics program.
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Time-Reversal Simulator Outperforms Classical Methods – AZoQuantum
Reviewed by Lexie CornerJul 8 2024
A research team led by Guangcan Guo from the University of Science and Technology of China, along with Professors from the University of Hong Kong, constructed a coherent superposition of quantum evolution with two opposite directions in a photonic system and confirmed its advantage in characterizing input-output indefiniteness. Their study was published in the journal Physical Review LettersPhysical Review Letters.
People believe that time moves inexorably from the past to the future. However, the direction of time is not explicitly distinguished by the laws of physics that control how objects move in the microscopic world.
To be more precise, the fundamental equations of motion of both quantum and classical physics are reversible, and a dynamical process that has its time coordinate system changed (maybe along with some other parameters) still qualifies as an evolution process. This is known as time-reversalsymmetry.
Time reversal has generated a lot of interest in quantum information science because of its applicability in inverting unknown quantum evolutions, simulations ofclosed timelike curves, and multi-time quantum states. However, time reversal is challenging to achieve experimentally.
By extending the time reversal to the input-output inversion of a quantum device, the researchers created a class of quantum evolution processes in a photonic setup to address this issue.
A time-reversal simulator for quantum evolution was obtained by swapping the input and output ports of a quantum device, which led to an evolution that satiated the time-reversal qualities of the original evolution.
The team achieved the coherent superposition of the quantum evolution and its inverse evolution by further quantizing the evolution time direction based on this basis. They also used quantum witness techniques to characterize the structures.
The quantization of the time direction demonstrated notable benefits in quantum channel identification compared to the case of a definite evolution time direction. In this investigation, the maximum success probability of a certain time direction method was only 89 % with the same resource consumption; in contrast, researchers employed the device to identify between two sets of quantum channels with a 99.6 % success probability.
The work demonstrated that input-output indefiniteness can be useful for developing photonic quantum technologies and quantum information.
Guo, Y., et al. (2024) Experimental Demonstration of Input-Output Indefiniteness in a Single Quantum Device.Physical Review Letters. doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.132.160201.
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Time-Reversal Simulator Outperforms Classical Methods - AZoQuantum
Worlds Most Accurate and Precise Atomic Clock Pushes New Frontiers in Physics – NIST
An extremely cold gas of strontium atoms is trapped in a web of light known as an optical lattice. The atoms are held in an ultrahigh-vacuum environment, which means there is almost no air or other gases present. This vacuum helps preserve the atoms' delicate quantum states, which are fragile. The red dot you see in the image is a reflection of the laser light used to create the atom trap.
Credit: K. Palubicki/NIST
In humankinds ever-ticking pursuit of perfection, scientists have developed an atomic clock that is more precise and accurate than any clock previously created. The new clock was built by researchers at JILA, a joint institution of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Colorado Boulder.
Enabling pinpoint navigation in the vast expanse of space as well as searches for new particles, this clock is the latest to transcend mere timekeeping. With their increased precision, these next-generation timekeepers could reveal hidden underground mineral deposits and test fundamental theories such as general relativity with unprecedented rigor. For atomic-clock architects, its not just about building a better clock; its about unraveling the secrets of the universe and paving the way for technologies that will shape our world for generations to come.
The worldwide scientific community is considering redefining the second, the international unit of time, based on these next-generation optical atomic clocks. Existing-generation atomic clocks shine microwaves on atoms to measure the second. This new wave of clocks illuminates atoms with visible light waves, which have a much higher frequency, to count out the second much more precisely. Compared with current microwave clocks, optical clocks are expected to deliver much higher accuracy for international timekeeping potentially losing only one second every 30 billion years.
But before these atomic clocks can perform with such high accuracy, they need to have very high precision; in other words, they must be able to measure extremely tiny fractions of a second. Achieving both high precision and high accuracy could have vast implications.
The new JILA clock uses a web of light known as an optical lattice to trap and measure tens of thousands of individual atoms simultaneously. Having such a large ensemble provides a huge advantage in precision. The more atoms measured, the more data the clock has for yielding a precise measurement of the second.
To achieve new record-breaking performance, the JILA researchers used a shallower, gentler web of laser light to trap the atoms, compared with previous optical lattice clocks. This significantly reduced two major sources of error effects from the laser light that traps the atoms, and atoms bumping into one another when they are packed too tightly.
The researchers describe their advances in Physical Review Letters.
This clock is so precise that it can detect tiny effects predicted by theories such as general relativity, even at the microscopic scale, said NIST and JILA physicist Jun Ye. Its pushing the boundaries of whats possible with timekeeping.
General relativity is Einsteins theory that describes how gravity is caused by the warping of space and time. One of the key predictions of general relativity is that time itself is affected by gravity the stronger the gravitational field, the slower time passes.
This new clock design can allow detection of relativistic effects on timekeeping at the submillimeter scale, about the thickness of a single human hair. Raising or lowering the clock by that minuscule distance is enough for researchers to discern a tiny change in the flow of time caused by gravitys effects.
This ability to observe the effects of general relativity at the microscopic scale can significantly bridge the gap between the microscopic quantum realm and the large-scale phenomena described by general relativity.
More precise atomic clocks also enable more accurate navigation and exploration in space. As humans venture farther into the solar system, clocks will need to keep precise time over vast distances. Even tiny errors in timekeeping can lead to navigation errors that grow exponentially the farther you travel.
If we want to land a spacecraft on Mars with pinpoint accuracy, we're going to need clocks that are orders of magnitude more precise than what we have today in GPS, said Ye. This new clock is a major step towards making that possible.
The same methods used to trap and control the atoms could also produce breakthroughs in quantum computing. Quantum computers need to be able to precisely manipulate the internal properties of individual atoms or molecules to perform computations. The progress in controlling and measuring microscopic quantum systems has significantly advanced this endeavor.
By venturing into the microscopic realm where the theories of quantum mechanics and general relativity intersect, researchers are cracking open a door to new levels of understanding about the fundamental nature of reality itself. From the infinitesimal scales where the flow of time becomes distorted by gravity, to the vast cosmic frontiers where dark matter and dark energy hold sway, this clocks exquisite precision promises to illuminate some of the universe's deepest mysteries.
We're exploring the frontiers of measurement science, Ye said. When you can measure things with this level of precision, you start to see phenomena that we've only been able to theorize about until now.
Paper: Alexander Aeppli, Kyungtae Kim, William Warfield, Marianna S. Safronova and Jun Ye. A clock with 8 1019 systematic uncertainty. Accepted for publication by Physical Review Letters. Preprint available at arxiv.org.
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Worlds Most Accurate and Precise Atomic Clock Pushes New Frontiers in Physics - NIST
The Art of Quantum Forces – Nautilus
Imagine a top turning and turning in a widening gyre, like a dancer without a partner, its spin axis wobbling as though it were under the influence. What keeps that top going round and round in hypnotic whorls is a force called angular momentum, a challenge to the leaden tugs of inertia and gravity. Angular momentum is a property fundamental to spinning objects at all scales of the universe, from planetary motions and galactic spirals to tides and light waves, to the tiniest quantum particles that blink in and out of existence.
It also propelled the creation of Angular Momentum, an art show by Brooklyn-based artists Chris Klapper and Patrick Gallagher currently on exhibit at the art gallery at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Illinois. The show explores the mysteries of infinitesimal energies and spinning particles in the quantum world.
The artists took inspiration from an early 2020 artist residency at Fermilab, where they collaborated with scientists working on the Muon g-2 experiment. In that experiment, the physicists set out to measure the spins of elusive particles called muonswhich exist for only a fraction of a secondwith tremendous precision, equivalent to gauging the length of a football field in increments of one-tenth the thickness of a human hair. The findings have implications for whether the standard model of physics is sufficient to explain the universe.
Klapper and Gallagher, long-time collaborators and spouses, spent two weeks working with physicists in Fermilab, including the scientist who was running the muon experiment, Adam Lyons. He blew our minds, says Klapper. We were just like, We wanna talk to you for hours. Then the pandemic hit, so they had to move these heady conversations over to Zoom.
The artists say the scientists made the concepts easy to understand, though it helps that the pair already knew a bit about particle physics from other installation pieces they have created over the past decadeand that they recently began studying higher mathematics together. We were like, Really, lets nerd out! says Klapper.
The artworks in the show, which include videos and digital prints on aluminum, were created using a software program the artists designed to visualize interacting spheres with electromagnetic frequencies. (The full series is on Klappers website.)
We spoke with Klapper and Gallagher about the art, the inspiration and their journey into the world of subatomic particles.
What is angular momentum?
Patrick Gallagher: Everything in the quantum world has angular momentum. Things spin but not in the way we typically think about spin. We have this idea of the model of an atom, with the nucleus and the electrons spinning around it like orbiting planets. But what we found out when we got involved with this project is that these spins are more of a frequency, and the rotations and orbits are more three dimensional, and they create interference patterns, and those interference patterns become these particles like the muon.
Chris Klapper: And they can detect those particles because when they spin, they have a different kind of charge.
Its a very poetic dance between the particles as theyre moving and changing and affecting each other in these oscillations and we wanted to take that and make it into artwork. We like to take these immense ideas and express them on a human scale. We think of ourselves as translators. If you can show someone who doesnt know anything about particle physics something beautiful, that might trigger them to go, Ooh, I wanna learn more about this. We want to inspire people to follow their own little rabbit holes, to embark on this incredible journey of studying the language of the universe.
What appealed to you about the muon project? Gallagher: One thing really stood out as we were learning more about the muon project. The Earth and plants and everything on the macro scale, we think about that as nature. But as we get smaller, its like, Oh, thats not nature. Thats chemistry. Or, Oh, thats not nature. Thats physics. Thats something else, completely different. But its alive. There really isnt any other way to grasp it down at that level. There are forces and energies and interactions that are happening, and its completely mysterious. And that was what our series tries to show, that the structures at that scale are phenomenally complex. You would think as were getting smaller and smaller, the elements of the universe would start to get simpler. Klapper: People have asked us, How do you find inspiration in math and science? And its like, this is everything, all the language of the universe. All the physicists are doing is studying what we are, where we came from, where were going, everything about life. And theres nothing more inspiring than life.
What was your process for making the actual works?
Gallagher: When we landed on angular momentum, we were trying to think of how we could visualize it. So we built a mathematical program that would allow us to take a set of concentric spheres and give their surfaces electromagnetic frequencies. And then we tried to imagine what it would be like if the interactions between the spheres were happening at the speed of light over incredibly tiny spaces. What if we were able to slow that down and also zoom into these particles and try to show what it looks like when theyre actually interacting? And our program allowed us to do that. Klapper: It allowed us to simulate how these particles would interact and what that interaction would look like, and how they would oscillate. Like the one spheres oscillation would affect the other spheres oscillation. So this was a virtual space where we could apply our artistic language. Gallagher: An easy way to think about how the spheres interact is to consider what happens when you throw a stone into a pond. If you throw a couple of stones, the resulting ripples meet and intersect and create new patterns and harmonics. This is happening on a 3-D scale though, not a flat surface, and thats what this work is really about. When the harmonics and ripples interact with each other, they create these interference patterns. And as far as quantum physics goes, all of the particles are made by these odd energies interacting and creating patterns. Its impossible not to also come out of the study of quantum physics without some deep philosophical questions.
What kinds of philosophical questions come to your mind?
Gallagher: Well, were not really sure if the lower subatomic particles necessarily exist. Theres quantum field theory, which is slightly different from quantum mechanics, which says that all of these particles only exist when they interact.
And so what is reality if a lot of these particles will disappear? Theyll come back, but its not the same ones. So I think philosophically it gets to what is our reality when were looking at this?
Klapper: Were all made of energy. I think so many people think, Well, I am this and you are that, but were actually all one thing because we are all energy. I mean, were pretty much made of the same thing as the chair and the table and the computer. The same stuff, were just put together in a different way. And so that is another kind of question. Its like, What, then, is reality? And where do I stop?
Gallagher: Thats the exciting part. Thats the inspiring part as well, because there are so many questions. Its so interconnected on the human scale. And then to see that its even more interconnected on the quantum scale really makes you think about what our place is in the world and in reality.
Angular Momentum runs through September 3, 2024, at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Illinois.
Lead image: This artwork, L=resonance, is featured in Angular Momentum and was provided by Chris Klapper and Patrick Gallagher.
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Scientists Tracked Earth’s Rotation With Frankly Unbelievable Precision – Popular Mechanics
In a paper recently published in the journal
Interferometry is a technique involving displaced and refracted lightthe patterns created reveal what interfered in the first place. It was originally conceived of to help prove or disprove the idea that all the air around us was filled with a wild proposed material called luminiferous ether, but now its used in a lot of different scientific disciplines. Most interferometers use mirrors, curved lenses, and more to bend and recapture light waves, but some may be acoustic, using a crystal to resonate through a cloud of liquid or gas.
These setups predate the study of quantum mechanics, but the researchers from the Vienna Center explain in their paper how quantum interferometry improves on previous forms. [T]he enhanced sensitivity of quantum interferometers, they wrote, opens up opportunities for precision measurements that can explore new frontiers in physics.
Focusing on quantum phenomena like superposition instead of qualities based in the world of classical physics means we need even tinier readings than usual. Thats where quantum interferometry comes in, and its definitely more precise, but its also a work in progress. Over time, scientists are working to develop better and better ways to reduce noise (a quantum side effect) and other downsides to these methods.
In this research, scientists use an established paradigm called N00Nshort for a complex mathematical expressionwhere a cloud of n photons are all in the same state of superposition, and no non-superpositioned photons are allowed. A number of N00N states with two photons each are put into a prepared interferometer thats dozens of meters long on one side, using long fiber optic strands. Then, Earths rotation itself causes a measurable change within the photons.
It may seem silly to spend so much time and so many resources on clocking the speed of Earths rotationsomething we surely must know all about by now. A day is a certain length, and we know because we end up in the same place in about 24 hours ... right?
Mostly. But those facts reinforce what the problem is underneath. Earth is so enormous and steady that detecting tiny changes in its rotational state is actually very difficult.
To help, these researchers implemented helpful tools like a toggle that switches off how Earths rotation affected their interferometric setup, and they built their model to involve mapping the idea of rotation into a measurement that does not rotate like a calculus-based magic trick.
The results demonstrate not only the precision of their best-yet quantum interferometer, the researchers conclude, but also a milestone in our collective quest to marry general relativity and quantum mechanics into one unified theory. Indeed, being able to check the general, classical motion of the Earth against quantum phenomena could help move physics forward24 hours at a time.
Caroline Delbert is a writer, avid reader, and contributing editor at Pop Mech. She's also an enthusiast of just about everything. Her favorite topics include nuclear energy, cosmology, math of everyday things, and the philosophy of it all.
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Scientists Tracked Earth's Rotation With Frankly Unbelievable Precision - Popular Mechanics