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Category: computing – Page 5

Laser advance sets the stage for new X-ray science possibilities

A team led by scientists at the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have generated a highly exotic type of light beam, called a Poincaré beam, using the FERMI free-electron laser (FEL) facility in Italy, marking the first time such a beam has been produced with a FEL.

The technique could improve how scientists study materials and drive advancements in high-performance technologies, such as next-generation computer chips. The results are published in Nature Photonics.

“This is a significant step forward,” said SLAC scientist and collaborator Erik Hemsing. “Poincaré beams allow us to probe materials in new ways, capturing complex behaviors in one pulse. It’s exciting to think about what researchers will do with this.”

What Are the Rules of the Universe? Google’s Quantum Computer Is Finding Out

Researchers used Google’s quantum processor to simulate fundamental physics, offering a new way to study the universe’s basic forces and particles. The fundamental forces that shape our universe are explained through intricate theoretical models. These models are notoriously difficult to study be

10x increase in atom array size boosts China’s quantum leap

Chinese researchers unveil 10x larger atom array for next-gen quantum processors.

Scientists in China have achieved a significant breakthrough in advancing quantum physics.

A team of researchers has developed the largest array of atoms for quantum computing.

The key component for a quantum computer is reportedly capable of creating arrays 10 times larger than previous systems.

Building energy model offers cities decarbonization roadmap

A new software tool developed by Cornell researchers can model a small city’s building energy use within minutes on a standard laptop, then run simulations to help policymakers prioritize the most cost-effective approaches to decarbonization.

Using the City of Ithaca, New York, as a , the urban building energy model quickly mapped more than 5,000 residential and and their baseline energy use. Simulated investments in weatherization, electric heat pumps and rooftop solar panels, while also factoring in financial incentives, generated insights that are informing city efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.

The tool’s automated workflow, accessibility and accuracy—without advanced computing power—could be particularly valuable for smaller cities that lack resources and expertise dedicated to decarbonization, the researchers said. But they said the new model—now also supporting the county that surrounds Ithaca—could be further scaled up to serve big cities or an entire state.

Using sound to remember quantum information 30 times longer

While conventional computers store information in the form of bits, fundamental pieces of logic that take a value of either 0 or 1, quantum computers are based on qubits. These can have a state that is simultaneously both 0 and 1. This odd property, a quirk of quantum physics known as superposition, lies at the heart of quantum computing’s promise to ultimately solve problems that are intractable for classical computers.

Many existing quantum computers are based on superconducting electronic systems in which electrons flow without resistance at extremely low temperatures. In these systems, the quantum mechanical nature of electrons flowing through carefully designed resonators creates superconducting qubits.

These qubits are excellent at quickly performing the logical operations needed for computing. However, storing information—in this case quantum states, mathematical descriptors of particular quantum systems—is not their strong suit. Quantum engineers have been seeking a way to boost the storage times of quantum states by constructing so-called “quantum memories” for superconducting qubits.

Scientists Discover Mysterious “Quantum Echo” in Superconductors

Quantum computing. The effect reveals and manipulates hidden quantum states.

Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames National Laboratory and Iowa State University have identified an unusual “quantum echo” in a superconducting material. This finding offers new understanding of quantum behavior that could be applied to future quantum sensing and computing systems.

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