Category Archives: Quantum Physics
Unifying Quantum Mechanics and Gravity – AZoQuantum
Jun 6 2024Reviewed by Lexie Corner
In a new study published in Advanced Photonics Nexus, an international team of researchers made significant strides in exploring the mysteries of quantum gravity. These findings shed new light on future research aimed at unifying quantum mechanics and general relativity.
This study will help solve one of contemporary physics most fundamental enigmas: reconciling Einsteins theory of gravity with principles of quantum mechanics.
For decades, scientists have been fascinated by the long-standing challenge of unifying these two pillars of physics. This has given rise to many theoretical frameworks, such as string theory and loop quantum gravity. However, without experimental evidence, these notions are theoretical.
How can the quantum nature of gravity be tested? Tangible methods to investigate the quantum behavior of the gravitational field have been developed in the last ten years (by Marletto and Vedral, and Bose et al.). These techniques were based on the idea of gravity-mediated entanglement.
The current study illustrates the concepts of gravity-mediated entanglement using light particles (i.e., photons). It utilizes state-of-the-art tools and techniques from quantum information theory and quantum optics.
The experiment uses photon interaction to simulate the influence of a gravitational field on quantum particles. Surprisingly, the photons' characteristics intertwine while never interacting, demonstrating nonlocality, a fundamental quantum phenomenon.
This entanglement mimics the expected behavior of gravity-induced entanglement and is mediated by another independent photonic feature, offering important new information on the quantum basis of gravity.
Most importantly, the study also tackles the difficulty of identifying the entanglement produced in these experiments. By addressing the limitations and noise sources inherent in such investigations, the researchers pave the way for clarifying concepts and tools for future studies targeted at directly witnessing gravity-mediated entanglement.
Gravity-mediated entanglement experiments can open a new chapter in the understanding of the fundamental properties of the universe.
The implications of this research are profound. It offers an experimental validation for the principles behind future quantum gravity experiments that will serve as litmus tests for competing theoretical frameworks.
Emanuele Polino, Study Author and Postdoctoral Scholar, Sapienza University
This remarkable finding represents a major step forward in understanding the secrets of quantum gravity, as physicists continue to push the frontiers of experimental and theoretical inquiry.
Polino, E., et al. (2024) Photonic implementation of quantum gravity simulator. Advanced Photonics Nexus. doi:10.1117/1.APN.3.3.036011
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Simulating Quantum Circuits with Light-Induced Magnetism – AZoQuantum
Jun 12 2024Reviewed by Lexie Corner
Researchers from the Graz University of Technology have calculated how suitablemolecules can be excited by pulses of infrared light to generate magnetic fields. The research, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, will help in the construction of quantum computing circuits.
Molecules exposed to infrared radiation start to vibrate because of the energy source. This well-known phenomenon prompted Andreas Hauser of the Institute of Experimental Physics at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) to investigate whether these oscillations could also be exploited to produce magnetic fields.
This is due to the positively charged nature of atomic nuclei and the creation of magnetic fields when charged particles move. Andreas Hauser and colleagues have now determined that, when infrared pulses operate on metal phthalocyanines, ring-shaped, planar dye molecules, these molecules generate minuscule magnetic fields in the nm range due to their high symmetry.
The calculations suggest that nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy could be used to determine the relatively low but highly accurately localized field strength.
The team used modern electron structure theory on supercomputers at the Vienna Scientific Cluster and TU Graz to calculate how phthalocyanine molecules behave when irradiated with circularly polarized infrared light.
They also drew on preliminary work from the early days of laser spectroscopy, some of which were decades old. The circularly polarized, or helically twisted, light waves excited two simultaneous molecular vibrations at right angles to one another.
As every rumba dancing couple knows, the right combination of forwards-backwards and left-right creates a small, closed loop. And this circular movement of each affected atomic nucleus actually creates a magnetic field, but only very locally, with dimensions in the range of a few nanometers.
Andreas Hauser, Institute of Experimental Physics, Graz University of Technology
According to Andreas Hauser, it is even possible to regulate the magnetic field's strength and direction by carefully adjusting the infrared light. As a result, the molecules would become high-precision optical switches that couldbe utilized to construct quantum computer circuits.
Andreas Hauser is working with colleagues at the TU Graz Institute of Solid-State Physics and a group at the University of Graz to demonstratethat controlled generation of molecule magnetic fields is possible.
For proof, but also for future applications, the phthalocyanine molecule needs to be placed on a surface. However, this changes the physical conditions, which in turn influences the light-induced excitation and the characteristics of the magnetic field, we therefore want to find a support material that has minimal impact on the desired mechanism.
Andreas Hauser, Institute of Experimental Physics, Graz University of Technology
Before testing the most promising versions in experiments, the physicist and his associates wish to compute the interactions between the deposited phthalocyanines, the support material, and the infrared light in a subsequent stage.
Wilhelmer, R., et al. (2024) Molecular Pseudorotation in Phthalocyanines as a Tool for Magnetic Field Control at the Nanoscale. Journal of the American Chemical Society. doi.org/10.1021/jacs.4c01915
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Simulating Quantum Circuits with Light-Induced Magnetism - AZoQuantum
Scientists have discovered that time is just an illusion – UNILAD
Published 19:20 10 Jun 2024 GMT+1
If you thought 2024 couldnt get worse, scientists now believe that time is just an illusion.
Yep, you read that right.
According to the researchers, time may not be something fundamental to our world and is something created by quantum entanglement.
What is quantum entanglement, I hear you cry.
Well, quantum entanglement is a complicated science term for when particles become interconnected in the way they influence each others state.
The theory cites that the perception of time is due to the entanglement of objects with a reference clock.
According to the researchers, the universe would appear still to anyone observing from the outside.
Initially, scientists believed that time is interlinked with the fabric of space and could be warped by gravity, as fans of the movie Interstellar will be aware.
But this might not be the case.
According to quantum mechanics, time does not share the same flexibility, and this could upheave times entire nature.
However, even though its a pretty cool concept which challenges the basis of our entire system in life, its not without its difficulties.
For example, how do you test it out to find out if its real?
There really isnt much of a tangible way to do so where you can see the results, so perhaps it's not time to throw our previous understanding of time in the bin quite yet.
Researcher Alessandro Coppo and his colleagues published their findings in the Physical Review A and their paper explores how our experience of time could be a byproduct of quantum processes.
Even though the theory is still in its baby stage, it could open the doors for a brand new understanding of the universe and how it operates.
Coppo said: "For centuries, time has entered physics as an essential ingredient that is not to be questioned. It is so deeply rooted in our conception of reality that people thought that a definition of time was not needed.
We believe that nature is genuinely quantum."
Before this breakthrough, time was depicted as the measure of a change in a physical quantity or a magnitude to quantify the duration of events.
Now it might be a byproduct of quantum mechanics and interlinked with quantum entanglement.
Thats crazy.
Do we have to ditch our watches, or?
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Scientists have discovered that time is just an illusion - UNILAD
Photons at the Edge of Physics Unlock Gravity’s Quantum Secrets – SciTechDaily
Artistic representation of the implemented photonic experiment in which entanglement between the polarizations of single photons is mediated by the independent degree of freedom of the photon path. Notably, mediated entanglement represents a core principle of future experiments using massive particles, aiming to probe for the first time the quantumness of gravity. Credit: Federico Alfano
Principles behind gravity-mediated entanglement were experimentally demonstrated in a simulation using photons, providing new insights into the nature of gravity.
Researchers are making significant progress in the field of quantum gravity, aiming to reconcile Einsteins theory of gravity with quantum mechanics. Recent experiments demonstrate the principles of gravity-mediated entanglement using photons, a breakthrough in testing theories like string theory and loop quantum gravity. These experiments could transform our understanding of the universe and support future theoretical frameworks.
In a groundbreaking development at the intersection of quantum mechanics and general relativity, researchers have made significant strides toward unraveling the mysteries of quantum gravity. This work sheds new light on future experiments that hold promise for resolving one of the most fundamental enigmas in modern physics: the reconciliation of Einsteins theory of gravity with the principles of quantum mechanics.
The longstanding challenge of unifying these two pillars of physics has tantalized scientists for decades, spawning various theoretical frameworks such as string theory and loop quantum gravity. However, without experimental verification, these theories remain speculative.
How to test the quantum nature of gravity? Tangible means to probe the quantum behavior of the gravitational field were proposed within the last decade (by Marletto and Vedral, and by Bose et al.), based on the concept of gravity-mediated entanglement.
In a recent study published in Advanced Photonics Nexus, an international team of researchers achieved a significant goal in preparation for future experiments in the quest to unify quantum mechanics and general relativity. Their work leverages cutting-edge tools and techniques from quantum information theory and quantum optics to demonstrate the principles of gravity-mediated entanglement using particles of light, i.e., photons.
The experiment involves the interaction between photons to mimic the gravitational fields effect on quantum particles. Remarkably, some properties of the photons, despite never directly interacting, become entangled, showcasing a quintessential quantum phenomenon: nonlocality. This entanglement is mediated by another independent photonic property and mirrors the hypothesized behavior of gravity-mediated entanglement, providing crucial insights into the quantum nature of gravity.
Importantly, the study also addresses the challenge of detecting the entanglement generated in these experiments. By elucidating the constraints and noise sources inherent in such experiments, the researchers pave the way for clarifying concepts and tools to be used for future experiments aimed at directly observing gravity-mediated entanglement.
Experimental tests of gravity-mediated entanglement could herald a new era in our understanding of the fundamental nature of the universe. According to author Emanuele Polino, who worked as a postdoc in the Quantum Lab of Sapienza University at the time of the research, supported by the QISS consortium, The implications of this research are profound. It offers an experimental validation for the principles behind future quantum gravity experiments that will serve as litmus tests for competing theoretical frameworks.
As physicists continue to push the boundaries of experimental and theoretical inquiry, the quest to unlock the secrets of quantum gravity takes a significant step forward with this groundbreaking research.
Reference: Photonic implementation of quantum gravity simulator by Emanuele Polino, Beatrice Polacchi, Davide Poderini, Iris Agresti, Gonzalo Carvacho, Fabio Sciarrino, Andrea Di Biagio, Carlo Rovelli and Marios Christodoulou, 22 May 2024,Advanced Photonics Nexus. DOI: 10.1117/1.APN.3.3.036011
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Photons at the Edge of Physics Unlock Gravity's Quantum Secrets - SciTechDaily
Scientists Made a Quantum Leap in the Fifth State of Matter – Popular Mechanics
In the mid-1920s, two absolute giants in the world of physics, Satyendra Nath Bose and
Fast-forward some 70 years later, scientists from the University of Colorado at Boulder proved Einstein and Bose correct. Since then, BECs have been a vital tool for exploring the quantum properties of atoms, and a series of advancementswhether getting the particles even cooler or getting them to form diatomic moleculeshave made them more and more useful in the search for the underlying physics that governs the universe.
Now, physicists from Columbia Universityin collaboration with Radboud University in the Netherlandstook the next step of this century-long BEC journey by creating a sodium-cesium condensate thats only five nanoKelvin above absolute zero. While thats an impressively cold temperature, the most important part of this impressive piece of experimental physics is that the resulting BEC is dipolar, meaning it has both a positive and a negative charge. The team utilized a previously peer-reviewed technique that uses microwaves to cross the BEC threshold, according to a press statement. The results of this study were published this week in the journal Nature.
By controlling these dipolar interactions, we hope to create new quantum states and phases of matter, Columbia postdoc Ian Stevenson, a co-author of the study, said in a press statement.
Microwaves are usually associated with heating things up, but study collaborator Tijs Karman from Radboud University suggested that microwaves can act like shields and essentially protect molecules from lossy collisions while hot molecules are removed from a sample, which has an overall cooling effect. The team tried the microwave technique in 2023, but this new study added a second microwave field that proved more effective at creating the desired BEC.
We really have a good idea of the interactions in this system, which is also critical for the next steps, like exploring dipolar many-body physics, Karman, who was also a co-author of the study, said in a press statement. Weve come up with schemes to control interactions, tested these in theory, and implemented them in the experiment. Its been really an amazing experience to see these ideas for microwave shielding being realized in the lab.
The creation of this dipolar BEC opens the door to the creation of many other forms of exotic matter, such as exotic dipolar droplets, self-organized crystal phases, and dipolar spin liquids in optical lattices, according to the paper. But those are only a few of the dozens of possible applications that this new BEC could help realize. Because this experiment enables precise control over quantum interactionsaccording to Jun Ye, an ultracold scientist at UC-Boulderthe impacts on quantum chemistry could also be pretty profound.
The universes little-known fifth state of matter continues to surprise us more than a century after its startling introduction into the known world of physics.
Darren lives in Portland, has a cat, and writes/edits about sci-fi and how our world works. You can find his previous stuff at Gizmodo and Paste if you look hard enough.
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Scientists Made a Quantum Leap in the Fifth State of Matter - Popular Mechanics
Vortex Power: The Swirl of Light Revolutionizing Quantum Computing – SciTechDaily
A novel vortex phenomenon involving photon interactions was identified by scientists, potentially enhancing quantum computing. Through experiments with dense rubidium gas, they observed unique phase shifts that mimic other vortices but are distinct in their quantum implications. Credit: SciTechDaily.com
Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science discovered a new type of vortex formed by photon interactions, which could advance quantum computing.
Vortices are a widespread natural phenomenon, observable in the swirling formations of galaxies, tornadoes, and hurricanes, as well as in simpler settings like a stirring cup of tea or the water spiraling down a bathtub drain. Typically, vortices arise when a rapidly moving substance such as air or water meets a slower-moving area, creating a circular motion around a fixed axis. Essentially, vortices serve to reconcile the differences in flow speeds between adjoining regions.
A vortex ring and lines created by the influence of three photons on one another. The color describes the phase of the electric field, which completes a 360-degree rotation around the vortex core. Credit: Weizmann Institute of Science
A previously unknown type of vortex has now been discovered in a study, published in Science, conducted by Dr. Lee Drori, Dr. Bankim Chandra Das, Tomer Danino Zohar, and Dr. Gal Winer from Prof. Ofer Firstenbergs laboratory at the Weizmann Institute of Sciences Physics of Complex Systems Department. The researchers set out to look for an efficient way of using photons to process data in quantum computers and found something unexpected: They realized that in the rare event that two photons interact, they create vortices. Not only does this discovery add to the fundamental understanding of vortices, it may ultimately contribute to the studys original goal of improving data processing in quantum computing.
The interaction between photons light particles that also behave like waves is only possible in the presence of matter that serves as an intermediary. In their experiment, the researchers forced photons to interact by creating a unique environment: a 10-centimeter glass cell that was completely empty, save for rubidium atoms that were so tightly packed in the center of the container that they formed a small, dense gas cloud about 1 millimeter long. The researchers fired more and more photons through this cloud, examined their state after they had passed through it, and looked to see if they had influenced one another in any way.
When the gas cloud was at its densest and the photons were close to each other, they exerted the highest level of mutual influence.
When the photons pass through the dense gas cloud, they send a number of atoms into electronically excited states known as Rydberg states, Firstenberg explains. In these states, one of the electrons in the atom starts moving in an orbit that is 1,000 times wider than the diameter of an unexcited atom. This electron creates an electric field that influences a huge number of adjacent atoms, turning them into a kind of imaginary glass ball.
The image of a glass ball reflects the fact that the second photon present in the area cannot ignore the environment the first photon has created and, in response, it alters its speed as if it has passed through glass. So, when two photons pass relatively close to each other, they move at a different speed than they would have if each had been traveling alone. And when the speed of the photon changes, so does the position of the peaks and valleys of the wave it carries. In the optimal case for the use of photons in quantum computing, the positions of the peaks and valleys become completely inverted relative to one another, owing to the influence the photons have on each other a phenomenon known as a 180-degree phase shift.
From bottom left, clockwise: Dr. Lee Drori, Tomer Danino Zohar, Dr. Alexander Poddubny, Prof. Ofer Firstenberg, Dr. Gal Winer, Dr. Eilon Poem and Dr. Bankim Chandra Das. Credit: Weizmann Institute of Science
The direction that the research took was as unique and extraordinary as the paths of the photons in the gas cloud. The study, which also included Dr. Eilon Poem and Dr. Alexander Poddubny, began eight years ago and has seen two generations of doctoral students pass through Firstenbergs laboratory.
Over time, the Weizmann scientists managed to create a dense, ultracold gas cloud, packed with atoms. As a result, they achieved something unprecedented: photons that underwent a phase shift of 180-degrees and sometimes more. When the gas cloud was at its densest and the photons were close to each other, they exerted the highest level of mutual influence. But when the photons moved away from each other or the atomic density around them dropped, the phase shift weakened and disappeared.
The prevalent assumption was that this weakening would be a gradual process, but researchers were in for a surprise: A pair of vortices developed when two photons were a certain distance apart. In each of these vortices, the photons completed a 360-degree phase shift and, at their center there were almost no photons at all just as in the dark center we know from other vortices.
The scientists found that the presence of a single photon affected 50,000 atoms, which in turn influenced the motion of a second photon.
To understand photon vortices, think of what happens when you drag a vertically held plate through the water. The rapid movement of the water pushed by the plate meets the slower movement around it. This creates two vortices that, when viewed from above, appear to be moving together along the waters surface, but in fact, they are part of a three-dimensional configuration known as a vortex ring: The submerged part of the plate creates half a ring, which connects the two vortices visible on the surface, forcing them to move together.
Another familiar instance of vortex rings is smoke rings. In the last stages of the study, the researchers observed this phenomenon when they introduced a third photon, which added an extra dimension to the findings: The scientists discovered that the two vortices observed when measuring two photons are part of a three-dimensional vortex ring generated by the mutual influence of the three photons. These findings demonstrate just how similar the newly discovered vortices are to those known from other environments.
The vortices may have stolen the show in this study, but the researchers are continuing to work toward their goal of quantum data processing. The next stage of the study will be to fire the photons into each other and measure the phase shift of each photon separately. Depending on the strength of the phase shifts, the photons could be used as qubits the basic units of information in quantum computing. Unlike the units of regular computer memory, which can either be 0 or 1, quantum bits can represent a range of values between 0 and 1 simultaneously.
Reference: Quantum vortices of strongly interacting photons by Lee Drori, Bankim Chandra Das, Tomer Danino Zohar, Gal Winer, Eilon Poem, Alexander Poddubny and Ofer Firstenberg, 13 July 2023,Science. DOI: 10.1126/science.adh5315
Prof. Ofer Firstenbergs research is supported by the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, the Shimon and Golde Picker Weizmann Annual Grant and the Laboratory in Memory of Leon and Blacky Broder, Switzerland.
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Vortex Power: The Swirl of Light Revolutionizing Quantum Computing - SciTechDaily
Quantum Pioneers: How Magnetic Quivers Are Rewriting the Rules of Particle Physics – SciTechDaily
Physicists have introduced the concept of magnetic quivers to analyze quantum field theories (QFTs), revealing new ways to visualize interactions and properties within these systems. Credit: SciTechDaily.com
A simple concept of decay and fission of magnetic quivers helps to clarify complex quantum physics and mathematical structures.
Researchers employed magnetic quivers to delve into the fundamentals of quantum physics, specifically through the lens of supersymmetric quantum field theories. They have provided a novel interpretation of the Higgs mechanism, illustrating how particles gain mass and the potential decay and fission within QFTs.
An international research team led by Marcus Sperling, a START award project leader at the Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, has sparked interest in the scientific community with pioneering results in quantum physics: In their current study, the researchers reinterpret the Higgs mechanism, which gives elementary particles mass and triggers phase transitions, using the concept of magnetic quivers. The work has now been published in the prestigious journal Physical Review Letters.
The foundation of Marcus Sperlings research, which lies at the intersection of physics and mathematics, is Quantum Field Theory (QFT) a physical-mathematical concept within quantum physics focused on describing particles and their interactions at the subatomic level. Since 2018, he has developed the so-called magnetic quivers along with colleagues. This graphical tool summarizes all the information needed to define a QFT, thus displaying complex interactions between particle fields or other physical quantities clearly and intuitively.
The decay and fission of magnetic quivers provides insights into the physical and mathematical foundations of quantum field theories. QFTs are the framework for the description of countless physical phenomena: from subatomic particles to the universe. Credit: Pedro del Real
A quiver consists of directed arrows and nodes. The arrows represent the quantum fields (matter fields), while the nodes represent the interactions e.g., strong, weak, or electromagnetic between the fields. The direction of the arrows indicates how the fields are charged under the interactions, e.g., what electric charge the particles carry.
Marcus Sperling explains, The term magnetic is also used metaphorically here to point to the unexpected quantum properties that are made visible by these representations. Similar to the spin of an electron, which can be detected through a magnetic field, magnetic quivers reveal certain properties or structures in the QFTs that may not be obvious at first glance.
Thus, they offer a practical way to visualize and analyze complex quantum phenomena, facilitating new insights into the underlying mechanisms of the quantum world.
For the current study, the stable ground states (vacua) the lowest energy configuration in which no particles or excitations are present in a variety of supersymmetric QFTs were explored. These QFTs, with their simplified space-time symmetry, serve as a laboratory environment, as they resemble real physical systems of subatomic particles but have certain mathematical properties that facilitate calculations.
FWF START award winner Sperling said, Our research deals with the fundamentals of our understanding of physics. Only after we have understood the QFTs in our laboratory environment can we apply these insights to more realistic QFT models. The concept of magnetic quivers one of the main research topics of Sperlings START project at the University of Vienna was used as a tool to provide a precise geometric description of the new quantum vacua.
With calculations based on linear algebra, the researchers Antoine Bourget (University Paris Saclay), Marcus Sperling, and Zhenghao Zhong (Oxford University) demonstrated that analogous to radioactivity in atomic nuclei a magnetic quiver can decay into a more stable state or fission into two separate quivers. These transformations offer a new understanding of the Higgs mechanism in QFTs, which either decay into simpler QFTs or fission into separate, independent QFTs.
Physicist Sperling stated, The Higgs mechanism explains how elementary particles acquire their mass by interacting with the Higgs field, which permeates the entire universe. Particles interact with this field as they move through space similar to a swimmer moving through water.
A particle that has no mass usually moves at the speed of light. However, when it interacts with the Higgs field, it sticks to this field and becomes sluggish, leading to the manifestation of its mass. The Higgs mechanism is thus a crucial concept for understanding the fundamental building blocks and forces of the universe.
Mathematically, the decay and fission algorithm is based on the principles of linear algebra and a clear definition of stability. It operates autonomously and requires no external inputs.
The results achieved through physics-inspired methods are not only relevant in physics but also in mathematical research. They offer a fundamental and universally valid description of the complex, intertwined structures of the quantum vacua, representing a significant advance in mathematics.
Reference: Decay and Fission of Magnetic Quivers by Antoine Bourget, Marcus Sperling and Zhenghao Zhong, 31 May 2024, Physical Review Letters. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.221603
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Quantum Pioneers: How Magnetic Quivers Are Rewriting the Rules of Particle Physics - SciTechDaily
UN declares 2025 ‘International Year of Quantum’ – ACS
Quantum computers are one of the frontiers of quantum science. Image: Shutterstock
The United Nations has declared 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, with Australian physicists set to hold events around the country.
The UN General Assembly agreed to the naming resolution, introduced by the African nation of Ghana, on Friday, 7 June.
The goal of the resolution, was which adopted by consensus, was to increase public awareness of the importance of quantum science and to bolster support for using it to address current challenges.
This included inspiring young people around the world, and particularly in the developing world, to take an interest in studying quantum science.
Ghana also called for greater scientific cooperation and a focus on the application of quantum technologies for sustainable development, including renewable energy, medicine and drug design, financial inclusion and secure communications.
Australian experts are working on a range of quantum technologies, including navigation systems which dont need satellites, cheaper and more efficient solar and battery tech, and quantum computers.
The federal government and Queensland government have pledged $940 million to US-based company PsiQuantum to build a quantum computer in Brisbane.
The funding comes amid criticism of the federal governments much smaller investment in artificial intelligence, which is earmarked to receive $39.9 million over five years for the development of policies and capabilities for the adoption and use of AI in a safe and responsible way.
Quantum experts call for support
The Australian Institute of Physics (AIP) has called for scientific, cultural and industry organisations to better understand the impact of quantum science on our everyday lives, and has encouraged them to take part in quantum events in 2025.
Professor Nicolas Menicucci, a quantum physicist at RMIT, says quantum science only seems mysterious because its far from our everyday experience and intuition.
During the Quantum Year, we invite all Australians to learn how this fascinating branch of science has transformed our understanding of Nature and the Universe and how the technologies built on these principles continue to transform our world, he said.
Over the coming months, the AIP will hold briefing events across Australia, starting in Canberra and Sydney in July, about the exciting events to come during the Quantum Year of 2025.
The AIP will run our own program of events, and we invite museums, artists, media, industry and others to celebrate the Quantum Year in your own unique way with events of born of your own imagination and excitement about quantum science and technology.
Quantum mechanics utilises the physics of fundamental subatomic particles.
Technologies developed using quantum science have already been used in devices such as LED lights, lasers, microchips and medical imaging devices.
Professor Nicole Bell, President of the Australian Institute of Physics, added, "the Quantum Year will showcase the impact of once-esoteric fundamental physics on our everyday lives.
Scientists hope advances in quantum technologies will enable things such as much faster computers, improved communications networks, stronger cyber security, and a faster shift to renewable energy.
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AIP encourages Australians to take part in Quantum Year 2025 – @AuManufacturing
The Australian Institute of Physics (AIP) has invited Australians to join in recognising quantum, a branch of science which seems mysterious but underpins much of modern life.
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology on June 7, chosen due to the century anniversary since the initial development of quantum mechanics.
Quantum science is both fascinating and beautiful. It only seems mysterious because its far from our everyday experience and intuition, said Professor Nicolas Menicucci, a quantum physicist at RMIT and Chair of the Australian Institute of Physics Quantum Science and Technology Topical Group, in a statement this week.
During the Quantum Year, we invite all Australians to learn how this fascinating branch of science has transformed our understanding of Nature and the Universe and how the technologies built on these principles continue to transform our world.
The statement notes the ubiquity of quantum science in places such as LEDs in homes, lasers that scan groceries in supermarkets, microchips at the heart of every smartphone and computer, in solar panels, and elsewhere.
In the UNs statement, it says quantum will be a key cross-cutting scientific field of the 21st century with tremendous impact on societal challenges highlighted in its 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Australia is, according to the AIP, a frontrunner in developing new quantum technology that will enhance our lives, including navigation systems that dont require satellites, miniaturised sensors for disease detection, monitoring metal fatigue and locating critical minerals, and one day its hoped useful quantum computers.
Dr Xanthe Croot, a researcher and Lecturer in Quantum Science at the University of Sydney, said, 2025 will be a year where we, as scientists, hope to share and illuminate the beauty of quantum physics, and inspire the public with what new promising technologies quantum physics could enable in the next 100 years.
Menicucci added that the AIP will hold briefings across the nation, beginning with Canberra and Sydney in July, to do with next years events.
The AIP will run our own program of events, and we invite museums, artists, media, industry and others to celebrate the Quantum Year in your own unique way with events born of your own imagination and excitement about quantum science and technology, he said.
More information on the institutes plans will be added to this website closer to 2025.
Picture: credit quantum2025.org
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AIP encourages Australians to take part in Quantum Year 2025 - @AuManufacturing
Fast and faithful quantum measurements of electron spin qubits – riken.jp
Measuring a quantum system quickly and accurately is crucial for realizing reliable quantum computers. Physicists at RIKEN have developed a method that achieves both these requirements in a silicon-based device1.
Most practical quantum technologies harness the weirdness of quantum mechanics in a basic element known as a qubitthe quantum equivalent of a bit in conventional computers. Qubits hold and maintain a quantum state.
They can be realized in various systems, including superconducting circuits, isolated atoms and laser beams. Another option is silicon devices that use the quantum state of a trapped electronspecifically, an electron property known as spin. These qubits have a real advantage over other qubits in that they are compatible with existing semiconductor-based computer components and fabrication technologies.
Practical applications of qubits, such as in fault-tolerant quantum computers, require a way to measure the quantum state accurately and quicklybefore the quantum state degrades or collapses in a process referred to as decoherence.
Now, Kenta Takeda and Seigo Tarucha from the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science and their co-workers have demonstrated a method for measuring spin in a silicon device with an accuracy of more than 99% and in just a few microsecondshundreds of times faster than typical decoherence times.
Measuring the spin of a single electron directly is massively challenging because it involves detecting tiny magnetic fields. This limits the measurement accuracy, or fidelity.
To overcome this problem, Takeda and his team adopted a different approachthey converted the spin into an electrical charge.
To test this approach, they built a silicon device that trapped two electrons (Fig. 1). Owing to a fundamental principle of quantum physics that states that no two electrons can occupy the same quantum state, the team was able to infer the quantum state by monitoring current flowing through the device. In this so-called Pauli spin blockade effect, the measurement signal results from the difference in the charge states, which is easier to measure than magnetic fields.
Spin measurement in silicon-based spin qubits has previously been slow, and its fidelity wasnt high enough, explains Takeda. We improved the Pauli spin blockade by optimizing the structure of our device to enhance the sensitivity of the charge sensor. We also improved the spin-to-charge conversion technique so that the spin state was well preserved during the process.
This achievement paves the way for realizing fault-tolerant quantum computing in this platform, he adds.
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Fast and faithful quantum measurements of electron spin qubits - riken.jp