Category Archives: Quantum Physics
Here at Yale: Sounds from another realm – Yale News
Under an early evening dusk, made darker by rain clouds overhead, shades of red, blue, and rose flowed across the white faade of 17 Hillhouse Avenue as an electronic landscape of sounds pulsed from speakers.
This was the scene on a recent April evening, as a crowd gathered outside the home of the Yale Quantum Institute (YQI) to celebrate the end of Yale Quantum Week and the release of the album Quantum Sound, a collaboration between a trio of scientists and musicians Spencer Topel, a sound artist and composer and the 2018-2019 YQI artist-in-residence, and two former Yale physics graduate students, Kyle Serniak 19 Ph.D. and Luke Burkhart 20 Ph.D. They were brought together by Florian Carle, YQIs manager and creator of the artist-in-residence program, and the producer of the album.
The album project, which transforms the measurements of superconducting quantum devices into sound, both reflects the raw data and shapes it into an audio narrative.
In the same way that some people are more receptive to music as opposed to visual art, they may be more receptive to music as a medium for conveying certain scientific concepts, said Serniak, who now works at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, a federally funded research and development center in Massachusetts.
Topel looks at the project in the other direction: How can quantum physics unlock new forms of musical and artistic expression?
Eventually some of these [quantum] experiments will yield new devices that we can use to solve altogether different problems, he went on. A portion of these problems will be art, dance, writing, and music.
Quantum Sound may not have the hooks to propel it up the Billboard charts, but attendees of the Yale event about 150 physics-heads, electronic-music geeks, and assorted curiosity seekers quickly snapped up the 100 vinyl copies of the album offered as a giveaway. The album is a single 32-minute track, split into two sides: Noise and Tone. The light show, designed by Carle, used tones of blue and red to signify the movement of superconducting qubits from a grounded state to an excited one.
As the album played, soft sonic waves gave way to what sounded like rolls of thunder; fittingly, as the music rose to a crescendo, the skies opened up. Undeterred by the downpour, the intrepid audience sheltered under umbrellas and listened on.
The project, which was first performed live at the International Festival of Arts and Ideas in June 2019, has had a longer afterlife than even its creators anticipated. At the beginning it just seemed like a fun idea, said Serniak. I am pleasantly surprised that it's being pressed on vinyl and that were still talking about it three years later!
Quantum Sound was also presented at the first International Symposium on Quantum Computing and Musical Creativity, an online event held last fall. And a chapter detailing the science behind the art, from the data-generating technology the trio used to the musical motifs they surfaced, will be published in the forthcoming book Quantum Computer Music: Foundations, Methods and Advanced Concepts. And Topel is looking into releasing the instruments they used for Quantum Sound three variations of quantum synthesizers on a software platform that would allow students of all ages to experiment with the technology and get closer to the science.
This project really changed how I think about the tools we use as artists to perceive the world, said Topel. Superconducting systems, like the ones being studied at Yale, have great computational potential, but they also offer us a glimpse into an altogether different part of our universe, the quantum realm.
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Quantum Future: Developing the Next Generation of Quantum Algorithms and Materials – SciTechDaily
Quantum computers are especially adept at simultaneously considering large numbers of possible combinations, but the instability of qubits in modern devices contributes to errors in calculations. Credit: Image by Timothy Holland | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Quantum computers are anticipated to revolutionize the way researchers address complex computing problems. These computers are being developed to address major challenges in fundamental scientific fields such as quantum chemistry. In its present state of development, quantum computing is very susceptible to noise and disruptive influences in the environment. This makes quantum computers noisy, since quantum bits, or qubits, lose information when they go out of sync, a process known as decoherence.
To address the constraints of current quantum computers, researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are constructing simulations that demonstrate how quantum computers work.
When we try to directly observe the behavior of quantum systems, like qubits, their quantum states will collapse, explained PNNL Computer Scientist Ang Li. Li is also a researcher at the Quantum Science Center and the Co-Design Center for Quantum Advantage, two of the five Department of Energy National Quantum Information Science Research Centers. To get around this, we use simulations to study qubits and their interaction with the environment.
Artists rendering of a quantum computer. Credit: Image by Jeffrey London | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Li and collaborators at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Microsoft employ high-speed computing to create simulators that imitate genuine quantum devices for executing sophisticated quantum circuits. They recently integrated two distinct kinds of simulations to produce the Northwest Quantum Simulator (NWQ-Sim), which is used to test quantum algorithms.
Testing quantum algorithms on quantum devices is slow and costly. Also, some algorithms are too advanced for current quantum devices, said Li. Our quantum simulators can help us look beyond the limitations of existing devices and test algorithms for more sophisticated systems.
Nathan Wiebe, a PNNL joint appointee from the University of Toronto and an affiliate professor at the University of Washington, is taking a different approach to writing quantum computer code. Though being constrained by the capabilities of existing quantum devices might be irritating at times, Wiebe views this obstacle as an opportunity.
Noisy quantum circuits produce errors in calculations, said Wiebe. The more qubits that are needed for a calculation, the more error-prone it is.
Wiebe and collaborators from the University of Washington developed novel algorithms to correct for these errors in certain types of simulations.
This work provides a cheaper and faster way to perform quantum error correction. It potentially brings us closer to demonstrating a computationally useful example of a quantum simulation for quantum field theory on near-term quantum hardware, said Wiebe.
Quantum circuit simulation can reveal the impact of noise on intermediate-scale quantum devices. Credit: Composite image by Donald Jorgensen | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
While Wiebe seeks to reduce the noise by developing error-correcting algorithms, physicist Ben Loer and his colleagues turn to the environment to manage external sources of noise. Loer employs his experience in creating ultra-low levels of natural radioactivity, which is required to search for experimental evidence of dark matter in the universe, to aid in the prevention of qubit decoherence.
Radiation from the environment, such as gamma rays and X-rays, exists everywhere, said Loer. Since qubits are so sensitive, we had an idea that this radiation may be interfering with their quantum states.
To test this, Loer, project lead Brent VanDevender, and colleague John Orrell, teamed up with researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and MITs Lincoln Laboratory used a lead shield to protect qubits from radiation. They designed the shield for use within a dilution refrigeratora technology used to produce the just-above-absolute-zero temperature necessary for operating superconducting qubits. They saw that qubit decoherence decreased when the qubits were protected.
While this is the first step toward understanding how radiation affects quantum computing, Loer plans to look at how radiation disturbs circuits and substrates within a quantum system. We can simulate and model these quantum interactions to help improve the design of quantum devices, said Loer.
Loer is taking his lead-shielded dilution refrigerator research underground in PNNLs Shallow Underground Laboratory with the help of PNNL Chemist Marvin Warner
If we develop a quantum device that doesnt perform as it should, we need to be able to pinpoint the problem, said Warner. By shielding qubits from external radiation, we can start to characterize other potential sources of noise in the device.
Video: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
PNNL supports a wide variety of quantum-related research, from quantum simulations and developing algorithms for quantum chemistry to the development of precision materials for quantum devices.
PNNL also partners with other institutions in the Pacific Northwest to accelerate quantum research and develop a quantum information science-trained workforce through the Northwest Quantum Nexus (NQN). Additionally, the NQN hosts a seminar series featuring leaders in quantum research. The NQN synergizes partnerships between companies, such as Microsoft and IonQ, as well as the University of Oregon, the University of Washington, and Washington State University.
PNNLs cultivation of both industry and university collaborations are building a foundation for quantum computing in the Pacific Northwest that sets the stage for future hybrid classical-quantum computing, said James (Jim) Ang. Ang is the chief scientist for computing and PNNLs sector lead for the Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Scientific Computing Research program.
Lis research was supported by the DOE Office of Science (SC), National Quantum Information Science Research Centers: Quantum Science Center and Co-Design Center for Quantum Advantage. He was also supported by the Quantum Science, Advanced Accelerator laboratory-directed research and development initiative at PNNL.
Wiebes research was supported by the DOE, SC, Office of Nuclear Physics, Incubator for Quantum Simulation, and the DOE QuantISED program. Wiebe is also supported by DOE, SC, National Quantum Information Science Research Centers, Co-Design Center for Quantum Advantage, where he is the Software thrust leader.
Loers research was supported by the DOE, SC, Office of Nuclear Physics and Office of High Energy Physics. Warners research was supported by the DOE, SC, National Quantum Information Science Research Centers, Co-Design Center for Quantum Advantage.
References: Impact of ionizing radiation on superconducting qubit coherence by Antti P. Vepslinen, Amir H. Karamlou, John L. Orrell, Akshunna S. Dogra, Ben Loer, Francisca Vasconcelos, David K. Kim, Alexander J. Melville, Bethany M. Niedzielski, Jonilyn L. Yoder, Simon Gustavsson, Joseph A. Formaggio, Brent A. VanDevender, and William D. Oliver, 26 August 2020, Nature.DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2619-8
Quantum Error Correction with Gauge Symmetries by Abhishek Rajput, Alessandro Roggero and Nathan Wiebe, 9 December 2021, arXiv.DOI: 10.48550/arXiv.2112.05186
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Quantum Future: Developing the Next Generation of Quantum Algorithms and Materials - SciTechDaily
Outstanding Seniors in the College of Science: Justin Hink – University of Arizona News
This spring, each department in the University of Arizona's College of Science nominated an outstanding senior who went above and beyond during their time as a Wildcat. We are pleased to share their stories as they reflect on their time at UArizona. Next up in the senior spotlight series is Justin Fink.
Hometown: Marana, AZ
Degrees: Physics and Astronomy
College of Science:Why did you choose your area of study?
Justin: At Marana High School, I started learning physics sophomore year. My teacher, Mark Calton, taught me Newtons kinematic equations. I thought it was fascinating to learn so much about the motion of objects from a few initial conditions. I had started an engineering club with Mark where we created trebuchets, a duct tape water bottle, a duct tape boat, and many other projects. I used my introductory physics knowledge to know how much force our trebuchet was applying and the distance the golf ball would travel. I wanted to learn more. I went through two years of AP physics classes learning thermodynamics, optics, electromagnetism, and quantum mechanics, of course, all in a simplistic manner. I was able to take an Astronomy course with Mark as well. My physics classes and teacher got me out of my bubble and convinced me to put in the effort necessary to take on and achieve this degree.
COS:Tell us about a class or research project you really enjoyed.
Justin: The most memorable research project I have worked on throughout these four years of college was with the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab). I have worked with them since the summer after my junior year. This was the first time I had to search through textbooks and teach myself a topic for research. This experience gave me an abundance of opportunities, from seminars to writing papers, all the way to a poster presentation at Rice University. This internship even led me to learn more about medical physics and change the direction of my career.
COS:What is one specific memory from your time at UA that you'll cherish forever?
Justin: I will always remember going up to Mt Lemmon with a group of astronomy friends. They had an 8 telescope so we could see the rings of Jupiter. It is a whole new experience to see the rings in person rather than a nice picture online. Surprisingly, it was my first time on Mt Lemon, even though I have lived here my whole life.
COS:What is next for you after graduation?
Justin: After graduation, I am working with the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility over the summer. Then, I am moving on to UCLA this coming Fall. I was accepted into their Department of Physics and Biology in Medicine to work towards a Medical Physics Ph.D.
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Outstanding Seniors in the College of Science: Justin Hink - University of Arizona News
Research in 60 Seconds: Quantum Physics for the Future of Tech – UCF
Whether its solving the worlds biggest problems or investigating the potential of novel discoveries, researchers at UCF are on the edge scientific breakthroughs that aim to make an impact. Through the Research in 60 Seconds series, student and faculty researchers condense their complex studies into bite-sized summaries so you can know how and why Knights plan to improve our world.
Name: Enrique Del Barco
Position(s):Pegasus Professor of Physics and associate dean of Research, Facilities
Why are you interested in this research?Understanding how the microscopic world functions is almost bucolic, as the laws governing this world (quantum mechanics) are absolutely unimaginable from our classical world perspective but explain the most fundamental phenomena with unnumerable repercussions in our day-to-day lives.
Who inspires you to conduct your research?My students. I reflect myself in my students, from high school to the Ph.D. level. They remind me of my youngest self, when I looked at the world with amusement and was looking to understand how everything works. I see this in my students faces when they are in the lab trying to unveil the next secret of the microscopic world.
Are you a faculty member or student conducting research at UCF? We want to hear from you! Tell us about your research at bit.ly/ucf-research-60-form.
How does UCF empower you to do your research?UCF has offered me the opportunity to build an extremely competitive research laboratory and has continuously supported me during the years in basically every single need I have had while putting me in contact with an amazing population of brilliant students.
What major grants and honors have you earned to support your research?I have received numerous grants from multiple external sponsors, including the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Defense, that amount to over $12 million. This funding has been essential to support the research activities conducted in my group. As the main recognition that I have received from my colleague scientists was becoming fellow of the American Physical Society in 2017 for my accomplishments in nanoscale magnetism research.
Why is this research important?Our research in nanoscale spintronics has strong potential to represent a breakthrough in technology. To provide an example, spintronics-based circuitry may end consuming one thousand times less energy than the most advanced electronic technology. Only this would represent a revolution, as currently energy consumption by electronic circuits (including computers) represents one of the most important expenses of energy in the world, contributing significantly to our climate change. Decreasing this by a thousand would be amazing!
Are you a faculty member or student conducting research at UCF? We want to hear from you! Tell us about your research at bit.ly/ucf-research-60-form.
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Research in 60 Seconds: Quantum Physics for the Future of Tech - UCF
The quantum wave function isn’t real | Eddy Keming Chen – IAI
The dominant interpretation of the quantum wave function sees it as real as part of the physical furniture of the universe. Some even go as far as to argue that the entire universe is a quantum wave function. But this interpretation runs into a number of problems, including a clash with Einsteins theory of relativity. Karl Popper prize-winner, Eddy Keming Chen, suggests that we instead interpret the wave function as the basis for a law of nature that describes how particles, fields and ordinary objects move through space and time. That way, a number of puzzles around quantum mechanics are resolved.
Believe me when I say it's easy to love quantum mechanicsthe fundamental rules that describe our physical world, starting at the microscopic level but hard to interpret what its really about. Quantum mechanics is unquestionably useful as an algorithm for predicting the outcomes of experiments and has given birth to many technological innovations from MRIs to semiconductors. But when it comes to the question of what quantum mechanics tells us about the nature of physical reality, things get very complicated, very quickly. Does quantum mechanics really reveal what exists at the fundamental level of the universe?
Reality is just a quantum wave functionRead moreSuch questions are at the heart of the foundations of physics. Physicists and philosophers have debated them since the early days of quantum mechanics. And while there are many divergent interpretations, most of them agree that uncovering the physical reality of the quantum world requires us to come to terms with the wave function - the central mathematical object used in quantum mechanics. But what is the wave function? We have invented a beautiful mathematical framework to talk about the wave function, but it is very hard to give a physical interpretation of its abstract mathematics. One dominant interpretation of the wave function is that it in fact represents physical reality some even argue that the universe as a whole is just a quantum wave function. But that interpretation runs into a number of problems. What I suggest is that we stop thinking of the wave function as real, as part of physical reality, and instead interpret it as providing the basis for a simple law of nature.
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At first glance, the wave function stands to quantum mechanics as particles to classical mechanics and electromagnetic fields to classical electrodynamics. The wave function of quantum mechanics seems to have all the marks of something real, indispensable, and should presumably be just as much a part of the constitution of physical reality as ordinary objects like tables and chairs. This might motivate one to adopt a realist interpretation of the wave function. Proponents of this view include many prominent physicists and philosophers such as Sean Carroll, David Albert, and Alyssa Ney. Yet, compared to particles and electromagnetic fields, the wave function is a highly abstract mathematical object that lives in a high-dimensional space, and includes imaginary numbers. It is far from clear how the wave-function is connected to our ordinary world of physical reality.
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The task of interpreting quantum mechanics, I argue, becomes easier if we reject the orthodox view that the quantum universe must be described by a wave function (a pure state, in technical terms). We should reconsider the realist interpretations of the wave function. Instead of thinking of quantum mechanics as telling us that, at the fundamental level, the universe is actually a wave function, we should think of it as providing us with the basis for a simple law of nature, one that determines how ordinary physical objects, such as particles and fields, move in space and time.
To motivate the new picture, let me summarize some of the problems facing the realist interpretations of the wave function. First, if we take seriously the space on which the wave function is defined, we might need to accept that the real arena where physical events unfold is a space of extremely high dimensions - about 10 to the power of 80, which is a huge number. While we may believe our universe may contain the 20+ dimensions postulated by some versions of string theory, it is much harder to swallow the idea that in fact, the real number of dimensions of the universe is 10 to the power of 80. It is difficult to see how ordinary four-dimensional objects like dogs and cats can emerge from it.
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Second, if we assume that the wave function is a physical object living in four-dimensional spacetime, it leads to a surprising kind of holism. Suppose we have a group of particles in spacetime. The wave function would endow the group with properties that cannot be derived from properties of the individual particles. The whole is, as it were, more than its parts. That is related to what is called quantum entanglement.
Finally, realist interpretations of the wave function seem to be in tension with Einsteins relativity theory a pillar of modern physics. If there is no objective and unique way of slicing spacetime into space and time, as relativity theory tells us, admitting quantum entanglement as a fundamental feature of the physical world makes it difficult to describe the full history of the universe. As David Albert argues, the history of a quantum universe on one way of slicing spacetime cannot be related to that on another, just by changing the reference frame. Instead, it requires details about the laws of nature.
Hence, we already have motivations to seek an alternative to the realist interpretations of the wave function as a physical object. According to an earlier proposal (due to Detlef Drr, Sheldon Goldstein, Stefan Teufel, and Nino Zangh), the wave function of the universe is not a physical object, but a physical law, like Newtons second law of motion. The wave function determines the motion of physical objects - both at the quantum level, and at the everyday level - such as particles, fields, tables and chairs. My proposal is inspired by theirs, but I suggest there is an easier and simpler way to implement the idea.
A hypothetical wave function of the universe is fairly complex. As it carries so much information, it can be complicated to specify. Because of its complexity, it does not look like a law of nature, which we expect to be relatively simple, like the expression for the law of universal gravitation and Newtons second law F = m a.
I suggest that we take a step back, by zooming out a bit. There is a mathematically well-defined way to do so (yielding what is known as the density matrix) but let me use a metaphor. Think of each possible wave function as a pixel on a screen. Think of the wave function of the actual universe as a particular pixel marked in red. If we have a powerful microscope, we see every dot on the screen, including the red dot. Specifying the location of the red dot requires a lot of information. Now, if we adjust the magnification and zoom out a bit, we stop seeing individual pixels. At the right level of magnification, we see some pattern emerging. The pattern, being more coarse-grained, can be easier and simpler to describe than the exact locations of individual pixels. I suggest that such a coarse-grained pattern suffices as a law describing the motion of ordinary physical objects. This less detailed description is given by a density matrix.
If we zoom out too much, there is the danger of throwing away too much information and hence missing out on the pattern. So what is the right level of magnification to use? The answer to that question relates to another remarkable feature of our world---the arrow of time. Even though the microscopic dynamical laws do not distinguish between the past and the future, our ordinary experience is full of processes that do. Just think of the melting of ice, the spreading of smoke, and the decaying of fruits. The universe appears more orderly in the past and less orderly in the future. This observation is summarized in the Second Law of Thermodynamics, according to which isolated systems tend to increase in entropy, a measure of disorder. What is responsible for this arrow of time? A standard answer is to add a fundamental axiom or a law of nature called the Past Hypothesis, according to which the universe started in a special state of very low entropy, at or near the Big Bang. Such a state can be characterized in relatively simple terms using macroscopic variables such as entropy, temperature, density, and volume. The Past Hypothesis, as it were, picks out the magnification level for the microscope. It strikes the perfect balance and selects just the right amount of information we need for specifying a simple and yet empirically adequate law.
Because of the simplicity of the Past Hypothesis, the coarse-grained pattern obtained from it can be described by a remarkably simple object. It carries much less information than a hypothetical wave function. It is sufficiently simple to be a candidate law of nature and sufficiently informative to determine the motion of ordinary objects. As a result, we do not need to reify the wave function as either a physical object or a physical law. This has two implications. First, it shows that conceptual issues about the arrow of time are intimately connected to the interpretations of quantum mechanics. Second, it provides an attractive alternative to realist interpretations of the wave function.
I develop this idea in a proposal called the Wentaculus. (The name comes from the word Mentaculus, which, as used in the Cohen Brothers movieA Serious Man, means the probability map of the universe. In the philosophy of science literature, David Albert and Barry Loewer have named their theory the Mentaculus. For my proposal, Ive changed M to W as the latter is used to denote a density matrix.) The picture of the world it offers is easier to embrace than the realist interpretations of the wave function. The quantum universe includes ordinary objects made of particles, fields, and / or other localized entities. The wave function is no longer central in this theory as either a physical object or a physical law. Instead, we postulate a much more coarse-grained and simpler object that naturally arises from considerations about the Past Hypothesis. The simple object represents a law of nature determining the motion of ordinary objects.
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The Wentaculus reduces the types of randomness in the world. On the orthodox view, the outcomes of quantum experiments are random, and the randomness is predicted (probabilistically) by the wave function. However, the wave function itself is also chosen at random from a collection of many different hypothetical wave functions, and such randomness is an additional postulate in the theory. On the Wentaculus, the second postulate of randomness is eliminated; there is only one physically possible quantum state and it is not random at all.
Moreover, the Wentaculus unifies the universe with its subsystems (small parts of the universe). On the orthodox view, the universe is described by a wave function, but most subsystems cannot be described by wave functions because of the phenomenon of quantum entanglement. On the Wentaculus view, the entire universe---including all of its parts---can be described by the same mathematical equations.
Furthermore, the Wentaculus version of Everetts many-worlds quantum mechanics is the first realistic and simple example of strong determinism, the idea (introduced by Roger Penrose) that laws of nature allow only one possible model of physical reality. On the orthodox version of Everetts theory, the wave function gives rise to many different and parallel branches, each realizing a different history. All of them are real and included in a gigantic multiverse, a much larger version of what we commonly regard as the physical reality. However, on the orthodox version of Everetts theory, there can be different wave functions and hence different multiverses. The actual multiverse could be any one of them. In other words, physical reality is not pinned down by the laws of nature, as they allow distinct models of the multiverse. On the Wentaculus version of Everett, in contrast, the laws of nature completely specify the multiverse, so there is only one way physical reality could be. In other words, the actual multiverse could not have been different on pain of violating physical laws.
The orthodox view assumes that, if physical reality is quantum mechanical, the universe must be described by a wave function. This view leads to difficulties, because the wave function is not something we can easily regard as a physical object (as it is too abstract) or a physical law (as it is too complicated). The situation is transformed when we zoom out a bit. The most natural object of quantum mechanics compatible with the Past Hypothesis becomes simple enough to be a law of nature.
Quantum mechanics is hard to interpret. We can make progress if we stop being realists about the quantum wave function, and zoom out.
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The quantum wave function isn't real | Eddy Keming Chen - IAI
A regular person’s guide to the mind-blowing world of hybrid quantum computing – The Next Web
Stephen Hawking once suggested Albert Einsteins assertion that God does not play dice with the universe was wrong. In Hawkings view, the discovery of black hole physics confirmed that not only did God play dice, but that he sometimes confuses us by throwing them where they cant be seen.
Are we here by chance or design?
A more pragmatic approach to the question, considering the subject matter, would be to assume that all answers are correct. In fact, thats the basis of quantum physics.
Heres the simplest explanation of how it all works that youll ever read: imagine flipping a coin and then walking away secure in the knowledge that it landed on heads or tails.
If we look at the entire universe and start zooming in until you get down to the tiniest particles, youll see the exact same effect in their interactions. Theyre either going to do one thing or another. And, until you observe them, that potential remains.
With all that potential out there in the universe just waiting to be observed, were able to build quantum computers.
However, like all things quantum, theres a duality involved in harnessing Gods dice for our own human needs. For every mind-blowing feat of quantum engineering we come up with just wait until you read about laser tweezers and time crystals we need some grounded technology to control it.
In reality, theres no such thing as a purely-quantum computer and there probably never will be. Theyre all hybrid quantum-classical systems in one way or another.
Lets start off with why we need quantum computers. Classical (or binary, as theyre often called) computers the kind youre reading this on complete goals by solving tasks.
We program computers to do what we want by giving them a series of commands. If I press the A key on my keyboard, then the computer displays the letter A on my screen.
Somewhere inside the machine, theres code telling it how to interpret the key press and how to display the results.
It took our species approximately 200,000 years to get that far.
In the past century or so, weve come to understand that Newtonian physics doesnt apply to things at very small scales, such as particles, or objects at particularly massive scales such as black holes.
The most useful lesson weve learned in our relatively recent study of quantum physics is that particles can become entangled.
Quantum computers allow us to harness the power of entanglement. Instead of waiting for one command to execute, as binary computers do, quantum computers can come to all of their conclusions at once. In essence, theyre able to come up with (nearly) all the possible answers at the same time.
The main benefit to this is time. A simulation or optimization task that might take a supercomputer a month to process could be completed in mere seconds on a quantum computer.
The most commonly cited example of this is drug discovery.In order to create new drugs, scientists have to study their chemical interactions. Its a lot like looking for a needle in a never-ending field of haystacks.
There are near-infinite possible chemical combinations in the universe, sorting out their individual combined chemical reactions is a task no supercomputer can do within a useful amount of time.
Quantum computing promises to accelerate these kinds of tasks and make previously impossible computations commonplace.
But it takes more than just expensive, cutting-edge hardware to produce these ultra-fast outputs.
Hybrid quantum computing systems integrate classical computing platforms and software with quantum algorithms and simulations.
And, because theyre ridiculously expensive and mostly experimental, theyre almost exclusively accessed via cloud connectivity.
In fact, theres a whole suite of quantum technologies out there aside from hybrid quantum computers, though theyre the technology that gets the most attention.
In a recent interview with Neural, the CEO of SandboxAQ (a Google sibling company under the Alphabet umbrella), Jack Hidary, lamented:
For whatever reason, the mainstream media seems to only focus on quantum computing.
There are also quantum sensing, quantum communications, quantum imaging, and quantum simulations although, some of those overlap with quantum hybrid computing as well.
The point is, as Hidary also told Neural, were at an inflection point. Quantum tech is no longer a far-future technology. Its here in many forms today.
But the scope of this article is limited to hybrid quantum computing technologies. And, for that, were focused on two things:
There are two kinds of problems in the quantum computing world: optimization problems and the kind that arent optimization problems.
For the former, you need a quantum annealing system. And, for everything else, you need a gate-based quantum computer probably. Those are still very much in the early stages of development.
But companies such as D-Wave have been building quantum annealing systems for decades.
Heres how D-Wave describes the annealing process:
The systems starts with a set of qubits, each in a superposition state of 0 and 1. They are not yet coupled. When they undergo quantum annealing, the couplers and biases are introduced and the qubits become entangled. At this point, the system is in an entangled state of many possible answers. By the end of the anneal, each qubit is in a classical state that represents the minimum energy state of the problem, or one very close to it.
Heres how we describe it here at Neural: have you ever seen one of those 3-D pin art sculpture things?
Thats pretty much what the annealing process is. The pin art sculpture thing is the computer and your hand is the annealing process. Whats left behind is the minimum energy state of the problem.
Gate-based quantum computers, on the other hand, function entirely differently. Theyre incredibly complex and there are a number of different ways to implement them but, essentially, they run algorithms.
These include Microsofts new cutting-edge experimental system which, according to a recent blog post, is almost ready for prime time:
Microsofts approach has been to pursue a topological qubit that has built-in protection from environmental noise, which means it should take far fewer qubits to perform useful computation and correct errors. Topological qubits should also be able to process information quickly, and one can fit more than a million on a wafer thats smaller than the security chip on a credit card.
And even the most casual of science readers have probably heard about Googles amazing time crystal breakthrough.
Last year, here on Neural, I wrote:
Googles time crystals could be the greatest scientific achievement of our lifetimes.
A time crystal is a new phase of matter that, simplified, would be like having a snowflake that constantly cycled back and forth between two different configurations. Its a seven-pointed lattice one moment and a ten-pointed lattice the next, or whatever.
Whats amazing about time crystals is that when they cycle back and forth between two different configurations, they dont lose or use any energy.
Heck, even D-Wave, the company that put quantum annealing on the map, has plans to introduce cross-platform hybrid quantum computing to the masses with an upcoming gate-based model of its own.
The quantum computing industry is already thriving. As far as were concerned here at Neural, the mainstream is just now starting to catch a whiff of what the 2030s are going to look like.
As Bob Wisnieff, CTO of IBM Quantum, told Neural back in 2019 when IBM unveiled its first commercial quantum system:
We get to be in the right place at the right time for quantum computing, this is a joy project This design represents a pivotal moment in tech.
According to Wisnieff and others building the hybrid quantum computer systems of tomorrow, the timeline from experimental to fully-implemented is very short.
Where annealing and similar quantum optimization systems have been around for years, were now seeing the first generation of gate-based models of quantum advantage come to market.
You might remember reading about quantum supremacy a few years back. Quantum advantage is the same thing but, semantically speaking, its a bit more accurate. Both terms represent the point at which a quantum computer can perform a given function in a reasonable amount of time that would take a classical computer too long to do.
The reason supremacy quickly went out of favor is because quantum computers rely on classical computers to perform these functions, so it makes more sense to say they give an advantage when used in tandem. Thats the very definition of hybrid quantum computing.
As for whats next? Its unlikely youll see a ticker-tape parade for quantum computing any time soon. There wont be an iPhone of quantum computers, or a cultural zeitgeist surrounding the launch of a particular processor.
Instead, like all great things in science, over the course of the next five, 10, 100, and 1,000 years, scientists and engineers will continue to pass the baton from one generation to the next as they stand upon the shoulders of giants to see into the future.
Thanks to their continuing work, in our lifetimes were likely to see vast improvements to power grids, a resolution to mass scheduling conflicts, dynamic shipping optimizations, pitch-perfect quantum chemistry simulations, and even the first inklings of far-future tech such as warp engines.
These technological advances will improve our quality of life, extend our lives, and help us to reverse human-caused climate change.
Hybrid quantum computing is, in our humble opinion here at Neural, the single most important technology humankind has ever endeavored to develop. We hope youll stick with us as we continue to blaze a trail of coverage at the frontier of this new and exciting realm of engineering.
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A regular person's guide to the mind-blowing world of hybrid quantum computing - The Next Web
Lasers and Ultracold Atoms Combine in One-of-a-Kind Lab – Dartmouth News
Fully understanding the complexity of Kevin Wrights laboratory in Wilder Hall would require a deep knowledge of ultracold quantum physics. But who has time for that? Understanding a hot cup of coffee could do just fine.
To visualize what it means for something to be a superfluid, imagine stirring your coffee with a spoon, then removing it, explainsWright, assistant professor of physics and astronomy. And then imagine that the coffee keeps swirling in circles forever, never coming to rest.
Now imagine that the never-ending swirling coffee is not being stirred by a spoon but by a web of laser beams that crisscross in a way that somehow makes perfect sense in the spooky world of quantum physics.
And instead of coffee, its a cloud of lithium atoms thats swirling around.
Welcome to the worlds first tunable superfluid circuit that uses ultracold electron-like atoms. That maze of laser light and cloud of superfluid atoms are part of a one-of-a-kind microscopic test bed designed by Wright to explore how electrons work in real materials.
A web of lasers allow researchers to cool, move, and detect electron-like atoms in the superfluid circuit. (Photo by Robert Gill)
Much of modern technology revolves around controlling the flow of electrons around circuits, says Wright. For the first time, researchers can now analyze the strange behavior of these kinds of quantum particles in a highly controllable setting.
While common conductive materials such as copper are well understood, researchers do not fully know how electrons move or can be controlled in exotic materials like superconductors.
The challenge is isolating and controlling individual electrons to study their behavior. The novelty of Wrights circuit is that it uses a complete atom to demonstrate how one of its single, fundamental parts behaves. Unfortunately, there is no coffee analogy that suffices here, but according to Wright, We are learning about electrons without using electrons.
Kevin Wright, assistant professor of physics and astronomy. (Photo by Robert Gill)
Further comprehending Wrights research requires the understanding that atomic particles can be either bosons or fermions. Bosons, such as photons, tend to bunch together. Fermions, such as electrons, tend to avoid each other.
While superfluid circuits using ultracold boson-like atoms already existpioneered by Wright when he was at the National Institute of Standards and Technologythe Dartmouth circuit is the first to use ultracold atoms that act as those asocial fermions.
Electrons can do things that are far stranger and more rich than anyone has imagined, says Wright. By using electron-like atoms, we can test theories in ways that were not possible before.
Lithium-6 makes the work possible. Although the isotope is a complete atom with a nucleus, protons and electrons, it behaves like an electron. The lasers are used to cool the lithium to temperatures near absolute zero and then to move the atoms around in ways that mimic electrons flowing around superconducting circuits. The lasers also detect how the atoms are acting and even provide the structure of the circuita microscopic racetrack in an ultrahigh vacuum chamber for the atoms to circle around.
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By using electron-like atoms, we can test theories in ways that were not possible before.
Attribution
Kevin Wright, assistant professor of physics and astronomy.
Spread across three stainless steel optical tables stretching about 18-feet wide, the test bed gives physicists access to a quantum emulator that will allow them to study the formation and decay of currents that flow indefinitely without added energythat imaginary endlessly swirling coffee.
The labs success in creating the superfluid environment is detailed in a recent study written by Yanping Cai, Guarini 21,Daniel Allman, Guarini 23,Parth Sabharwal, Guarini 24, and Wright that was published inPhysical Review Letters.
Yanping Cai, Guarini 21; Parth Sabharwal, Guarini 24; and Daniel Allman, Guarini 23. (Yanping Cai-Courtesy of Yanping Cai; Parth Sabharwal-Courtesy of Parth Sabharwal; Daniel Allman- photo by Robert Gill)
Its amazing to be a part of something that nobody has ever done, says Allman, who Wright credits with being a master troubleshooter in the lab. This is the frontier of new research, and it is cool.
Wrights lab puts Dartmouth at the center of experimental research using ultracold fermions and has the potential to attract researchers looking to test theories and analyze special materials. Findings from the lab could also create opportunities for the development of new kinds of devices that use superconductors and other exotic quantum materials that can be useful for quantum computers.
We have crossed the threshold to build test circuits with fermionic quantum gases, says Wright with a hint of modest pride. Designing and controlling the atom flow around a circuit with ultracold fermions in the same way that is done in an electronic device has just never been accomplished before.
Daniel Allman, left, and Kevin Wright observe a ring of Lithium-6 atoms in the microscopic circuit. (Photo by Robert Gill)
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Lasers and Ultracold Atoms Combine in One-of-a-Kind Lab - Dartmouth News
Quantum physics, planet formation and wrestling: Three U of T researchers awarded 2022 Guggenheim Fellowships – University of Toronto
For research projects in quantum condensed matter, the cultural history of wrestlingand the formation of planetary systems, three University of Toronto scholars from the Faculty of Arts & Science have received prestigious2022 Guggenheim Fellowships.
Fellowships are awarded by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation and this year the 97th year of the competition just 180 of 2500 applicants received the awards.
When honours like the Guggenheim Fellowships are awarded to multiple Faculty scholars, I am always impressed and fascinated by the diverse disciplines of the winners, saysMelanie Woodin, dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science. This years cohort is no exception. I am very happy that the fellowships will allow each to pursue their exciting and important work, and I congratulate them all.
Here are the three U of T scholars who receivedGuggenheim Fellowships this year:
Yong-Baek Kimis a professor in thedepartment of physics,as well as the director of theCentre for Quantum Materialsand a member of theCentre for Quantum Information & Quantum Control. Kims research focus is theoretical quantum condensed matter physics,which involves the study of matter and its exotic behaviour when subjected to extreme conditions such as low temperature and high pressure. His work has potential applications for diverse quantum technologies, including quantum computing.
I am particularly interested in emergent quantum phases of strongly interacting electrons in quantum materials which may serve as potential platforms for quantum technology, says Kim.
"Receiving the Guggenheim fellowship is a great honor for me. It's wonderful to see that my work is appreciated by peer intellectuals. I have been privileged to meet and work with so many talented people, especially my former and current students, postdoctoral fellows and collaborators. I thank them for generously sharing their insights."
Yanqin Wuis a professor of theoretical astrophysics in theDavid A. Dunlap department of astronomy and astrophysics. Throughout her career, she has studied planets both in and beyond our solar system. Using data gathered by the Kepler planet-hunting space telescope and other observing programs, she studies their internal structure, motions and formation.
Wus Guggenheim Fellowship will allow her to focus on research into proto-planetary disks of gas and dust around newly developing stars structures from which all planets arise. In particular, Wu is investigating an aspect referred to as segmented disks.
"The puzzle is that proto-planetary disks, when observed at sufficiently high resolutions, display prominent bright rings and dark gaps, says Wu. I am proposing ideas to resolve this puzzle and to understand how it affects planet formation.
Says Wu about the fellowship, It is a luxurious honour to be recognized for doing something that one enjoys and working with people one likes.
John Zilcoskyis a professor in thedepartment of Germanic languages and literaturesand theCentre for Comparative Literature. His expertise encompasses modern European literature, psychoanalysis, the art of traveland the history and philosophy of sports.
With the help of the fellowship, Zilcosky will be able to devote time to writing his next book,Wrestling: A Cultural History. In it, he attempts to answer big questions: Why do we wrestle? And why was wrestling humanitys first sport? He will explain why wrestling is not only humankind's oldest sport but also its most significant. The book will trace the history of grappling from early civilizations and mythsthrough the classical,Renaissance and modern eras all the way to todays pro wrestling.
It will also explore wrestlings presence in Indigenous cultures and also women practitioners from the Greek goddess, Palaistra, to todays Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW) television series. And it will delve into the erotic violence that is always just beneath wrestlings surface.
Says Zilcosky:What a thrill! This is a labour of love, returning me to my youth as a high school and U.S. collegiate wrestler. Its exciting that the Guggenheim Foundation finds this project which connects the histories of sport and of civilization compelling. Such recognition reminds me of my conversation with the world and injects me with new energy.
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The Matter of Everything review: A pacy look at 20th-century physics – New Scientist
From the discovery of the first subatomic particle to the confirmation of the Higgs boson in 2012, Suzie Sheehy's account of experiments that changed our world is detailed but lively
By Elle Hunt
The Large Hadron Collider at CERN near Geneva, Switzerland
Maximilien Brice/CERN
The Matter of Everything
Suzie Sheehy
Bloomsbury
IN 1930, Austrian physicist Wolfgang Pauli set out to solve a mystery. The variability of energy values for beta particles, defying the basic scientific principles of conservation of energy and momentum, had been confounding physicists since the turn of the century.
Pauli a physicist so rigorous in his approach that he had been called the scourge of God seemed well-placed to address it. And yet, when he put his mind to finding a theoretical solution for the problem of beta decay, Pauli created only further ambiguity.
He proposed the existence of an entirely new, chargeless and near-massless particle that would allow for energy and momentum to be conserved, but would be almost impossible to find. I have done a terrible thing, he wrote. I have postulated a particle that cannot be detected.
Pauli, a pioneer of quantum physics, is one of many names to cross the pages of The Matter of Everything, Suzie Sheehys lively account of experiments that changed our world. Through 12 significant discoveries over the course of the 20th century, Sheehy shows how physics transformed the world and our understanding of it in many cases, as a direct result of the curiosity and dedication of individuals.
Sheehy is an experimental physicist in the field of accelerator physics, based at the University of Oxford and the University of Melbourne, Australia. Her own expertise makes The Matter of Everything a more technical book than the framing of 12 experiments might suggest, and certainly more so than the average popular science title, but it is nonetheless accessible to the lay reader and vividly described.
From experiments with cathode rays in a German lab in 1895, leading to the detection of X-rays and to the discovery of the first subatomic particle, to the confirmation of the Higgs boson in 2012, The Matter of Everything is an opportunity to learn not just about individual success stories, but the nature of physics itself.
Sheehy does well to set out the questions that these scientists wanted to answer and what lay at stake with their discoveries, on the macro level as well as the micro one, showing how physics not only helped us to understand the world, but shaped it. These early firsts came from small-scale experiments, with researchers operating their own equipment and even building it from scratch.
The Matter of Everything also highlights those whose contributions might have historically been overlooked, such as Lise Meitner, dubbed the German Marie Curie by Albert Einstein. Her work on nuclear fission went unacknowledged for some 50 years after her colleague Otto Hahn was solely awarded the Nobel prize in 1944.
The commitment and collaboration of physicists and engineers through the second world war showed what was possible for good and evil. Sheehy describes how the development of the bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki awakened a social conscience in the field, paving the way to the international cooperation we see today, such as on the Large Hadron Collider.
United behind a common goal, and with cross-government support, answers that had never before seemed possible suddenly appeared within grasp. To Sheehy, this is evidence of the potential for physics to overcome the challenges that face science and society now from the nature of dark matter to tackling the climate crisis.
At the start of the 20th century, she points out, it was said that we knew everything there was to know about the universe; by the end of the century, the world had changed beyond recognition.
The terrible particles Pauli proposed which he called neutrons, but we now know as neutrinos were finally confirmed in 1956. His response was quietly triumphant: Everything comes to him who knows how to wait.
A sweeping but detailed and pacy account of 100 years of scientific advancement, The Matter of Everything has a cheering takeaway. What such leaps lie ahead? What questions seem intractable now that we wont give a thought to in the future?
Sheehy mounts the case that with persistence, curiosity and collaboration we may yet overcome challenges that now seem impossible.
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The Matter of Everything review: A pacy look at 20th-century physics - New Scientist
Carlo Rovelli Explains the Universe In His New Book – TIME
Its a very good thing Carlo Rovelli did not get eaten by a bear in 1976though even he admits it would have been his own fault. Camping alone in western Canada, he decided to save the money it would have cost him to pitch his tent in a designated area, and picked instead a wilder part of the wilderness. No sooner had he set up camp and prepared to settle in than the grizzly appeared.
Fortunately for Rovelli, the bear was more interested in the easy pickings of the food supplies he had left out in the open than it was in human prey. I packed super rapidly, he says, left the food, took my tent and backpack, ran to the campsite, and was happy to pay the $2 it cost to camp there.
That $2 ensured that Rovelli remained in the world, andto the gratitude of millions of his modern-day readers and followersthat the world got to keep Rovelli. It turned out to be a good deal all around.
The 65-year-old research physicist now directs the quantum-gravity research group at the Centre de Physique Thorique in Marseilles, France, and is the best-selling author of seven books, including 2014s Seven Brief Lessons on Physicswhich has been translated into more than 40 languagesand the new There Are Places in the World Where Rules Are Less Important Than Kindness, coming May 10, a collection of his newspaper columns originally published from 2010 to 2020.
Read More: The 10 Best Nonfiction Books of the Decade
Quick-talking and small-framed, Rovelli is rather blas about trafficking in the nearly hallucinogenic concepts of his field, from quantum theorywhich involves the behavior of matter and energy at the atomic and subatomic levels, where the precepts of classical physics break downto relativity, to certainty (which, for what its worth, he insists does not exist). Im a simple mechanic, he says. In Italian thats almost a pejorative. However, Im not the person who thinks that science is a fundamental explanation of everything. I think scientists should be humble. They are not the masters of todays knowledge.
Maybe not. And yet, Rovellis lifes goal is to be the first physicist to reconcile quantum mechanics and more traditional theories of gravity and Einsteinian space-time. That work, should he achieve it, would make Rovelli more than just an accomplished physicist and a gifted communicator. It would make him a legend.
Rovelli began breaking rules long before he pitched his tent in a place he wasnt supposed to. Born in Bologna, Italy, he ran away from home at age 14 and hitchhiked across Europe. At 16, he began experimenting with LSD, which he credits with first allowing him to understand that linear time, as we experience it, may not be all there is. The experience, he writes in his new book, left me with a calm awareness of the prejudices of our rigid mental categories.
That kind of thinking predisposed Rovelli as much to philosophy as to physics, and when he enrolled in college, at the University of Bologna, he had yet to decide firmly. But when it came time to register for classes, the queue at the physics table was much shorter than the one for philosophy.
Physics was a little bit of a random choice, he says. I also discovered, to my surprise, that I was good at it.
Read More: What Einstein Got Wrong About the Speed of Light
Good indeed. After earning his PhD at the University of Padova, Rovelli held postdoctoral positions at numerous schools, including Yale University and the University of Rome, and taught for a decade at the University of Pittsburgh. Rovelli has come to conclude that if you want to understand how the universe worksand he would be very happy to teach youits important to grasp three essential concepts. First, things dont happen according to exact equations, but rather only to probability. Next, space-time is not a continuum but is ultimately reducible to grains, the smallest possible units of the universe. We should think about space around us as if were immersed in a bucket of sand, he says. At some point, you get down to a single grain and cannot get it to break.
Finally, Rovelli argues, all objectseven grizzly bearsdo not have their own properties, but properties only insofar as they relate to other objects. The world is not made of stones, he says. Its made of kisses.
Rovelli concedes that theres a limit to how much sense any of what he traffics in daily is comprehensible to most people. Work as a heart surgeon and you can explain straightforwardly what your job involves. Work as a theoretical physicist and youre left resorting to metaphor.
What makes things really challenging is that the universe does a good job misleading us with what appears to be simplicity. The ground is down there; spacewhich has no grains as far as we can seeis up there; time moves forward. The trick for all of us, physicists included, is not learning new truths but unlearning old falsehoods. Galileo Galileis seminal book, which explained the motion of the earth, is perhaps historys best example of that process.
Its meant to convince you that the earth goes around the sun and that the earth rotates, Rovelli says. But whats remarkable is that the actual arguments for the earth moving take a few pages. Most of the book is devoted to trying to bring the reader out from the obvious conviction that thats impossible.
Read More: Teleportation Is Real and Heres Why it Matters
Where humanity as a whole fits into the cosmos is not a matter that Rovelli addresses muchor that seems, within his science, to require that much addressing. Consciousness and life itself, he says, are a trick of biochemistry and thermodynamics and not a whole lot more. Life is a super-complicated phenomenon, but theres no mystery here, he says. Whats more, death brings an end to things utterly.
I dont like to feel consolation in the idea that I will be welcomed by God after my death, he writes in his new book. I like to look directly at the limited length of our lives, to learn to look at our sister, death, with serenity. I like to wake in the morning, look at the sea, and thank the wind, the waves, the sky the life that allows me to exist.
The stem-winding title of Rovellis new book comes from a 2016 essay in which he visits a mosque in Senegal. He removes his sandals before stepping inside the building, as directed, but carries them inside with him. A young man approaches him and points to the sandals; Rovelli realizes that the rule is actually that dirtshedding shoes should not enter the building at all. He hurries back outside and leaves the sandals behind. An old man picks the sandals back up, places them in a bag, and carries them into the mosque himself to hand them back to Rovelli. The mans desire to put the travelers mind at ease about his shoes has taken precedence over even that rule.
I am speechless, Rovelli writes; there are places in the world where rules are less important than kindness.
The universe Rovelli has devoted his life to explaining might be a cold, indifferent, even unkind oneat least insofar as it largely limits us to our tiny little beachhead of earth. But it is a clearer and more elegant one for Rovellis efforts. That, in a very real sense, is its own act of kindness.
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Write to Jeffrey Kluger at jeffrey.kluger@time.com.
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