Lifeboat Foundation: Safeguarding Humanity
Toggle light / dark theme

Blog

Category: quantum physics – Page 108

Researchers from the University of Twente in the Netherlands have gained important insights into photons, the elementary particles that make up light. They ‘behave’ in an amazingly greater variety than electrons surrounding atoms, while also being much easier to control.

These new insights have broad applications from smart LED lighting to new photonic bits of information controlled with , to sensitive nanosensors. Their results are published in Physical Review B.

In atoms, minuscule elementary particles called electrons occupy regions around the nucleus in shapes called orbitals. These orbitals give the probability of finding an electron in a particular region of space. Quantum mechanics determines the shape and energy of these orbitals. Similarly to electrons, researchers describe the region of space where a is most likely found with orbitals too.

Read more | >

A research team has constructed a coherent superposition of quantum evolution with two opposite directions in a photonic system and confirmed its advantage in characterizing input-output indefiniteness. The study was published in Physical Review Letters.

The notion that time flows inexorably from the past to the future is deeply rooted in people’s mind. However, the laws of physics that govern the motion of objects in the microscopic world do not deliberately distinguish the direction of time.

To be more specific, the basic equations of motion of both classical and are reversible, and changing the direction of the time coordinate system of a dynamical process (possibly along with the direction of some other parameters) still constitutes a valid process.

Read more | >

Mechanical systems are highly suitable for realizing applications such as quantum information processing, quantum sensing and bosonic quantum simulation. The effective use of these systems for these applications, however, relies on the ability to manipulate them in unique ways, specifically by ‘squeezing’ their states and introducing nonlinear effects in the quantum regime.

A research team at ETH Zurich led by Dr. Matteo Fadel recently introduced a new approach to realize quantum squeezing in a nonlinear mechanical oscillator. This approach, outlined in a paper published in Nature Physics, could have interesting implications for the development of quantum metrology and sensing technologies.

“Initially, our goal was to prepare a mechanical squeezed state, namely a quantum state of motion with reduced quantum fluctuations along one phase-space direction,” Fadel told Phys.org. “Such states are important for and quantum simulation applications. They are one of the in the universal gate set for quantum computing with continuous-variable systems—meaning mechanical degrees of freedom, , etc., as opposed to qubits that are discrete-variable systems.”

Read more | >

Researchers have developed a breakthrough method for quantum information transmission using light particles called qudits, which utilize the spatial mode and polarization properties to enable faster, more secure data transfer and increased resistance to errors.

This technology could greatly enhance the capabilities of a quantum internet, providing long-distance, secure communication, and leading to the development of powerful quantum computers and unbreakable encryption.

Scientists have made a significant breakthrough in creating a new method for transmitting quantum information using particles of light called qudits. These qudits promise a future quantum internet that is both secure and powerful.

Read more | >

As predicted by the theory of general relativity, the passage of gravitational waves can leave a measurable change in the relative positions of objects. This physical phenomenon, known as gravitational wave memory, could potentially be leveraged to study both gravitational waves and spacetime.

Researchers at Gran Sasso Science Institute (GSSI) and the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) recently carried out a study exploring the possibility of using gravitational wave memory to measure spacetime symmetries, fundamental properties of spacetime that remain the same following specific transformations. Their paper, published in Physical Review Letters, suggests that these symmetries could be probed via the observation of displacement and spin memory.

“For a long time, I was curious about the phenomenon of gravitational wave memory and the connection of the associated low energy physics with ,” Boris Goncharov, co-author of the paper, told Phys.org. “I first heard about Weinberg’s soft graviton theorem from Prof. Paul Lasky at Monash University in Australia, during my Ph.D, when discussing gravitational wave memory. Then I learned about the so-called ” Infrared Triangle’ that connects the soft theorem with gravitational wave memory and symmetries of spacetime at infinity from gravitational wave sources.”

Read more | >

Why it matters: Moore’s Law might not be dead after all. A new technique using nanomaterials can further miniaturize transistors, allowing fab plants to pack more of them on each chip. This research opens up new possibilities for creating advanced semiconductor devices with features smaller than current lithography techniques allow.

A South Korean research team led by Director Jo Moon-Ho of the Center for Van der Waals Quantum Solids within South Korea’s Institute for Basic Science has made a significant advancement in semiconductor and nanomaterial technology that could lead to the development of much smaller, more efficient, and more powerful electronic devices. The new technique can grow “one-dimentional” metallic nanaomaterials with widths as narrow as 0.4 nanometers for use as gate electrodes on 2D substrates. The technique promises to overcome the limitations of traditional lithography.

Integrated devices based on two-dimensional semiconductors exhibit excellent electrical properties even when thinned to atomic-scale thickness, making them promising candidates for creating ultra-thin, high-performance electronic devices. A separate study indicates that these 2D logic circuits are promising candidates for the post-Moore’s Law era.

Read more | >

Researchers at Fraunhofer IPM have developed a contactless flow measurement method based on magnetic fields. For the first time, they have been able to show the quantitative impact of the flow profile on the magnetic signal. This opens up new possibilities for improving the measurement method.

The results were recently published in the Journal of Applied Physics.

There are many manufacturing processes across various industries where flowing liquids play a key role. Controlling or automating such processes requires reliable data on the rate of the liquids. The -based flow measurement technique developed at Fraunhofer IPM provides accurate flow data without any contact with the liquid.

Read more | >