Lifeboat Foundation: Safeguarding Humanity
Toggle light / dark theme

Blog

Category: quantum physics – Page 15

A research team led by Prof. Zhengtian Lu and Researcher Tian Xia from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) has successfully created a quantum state with a lifetime on the scale of minutes using optically trapped cold atoms. This breakthrough significantly improves the sensitivity of quantum metrology measurements. Their findings were published in Nature Photonics

<em> Nature Photonics </em> is a prestigious, peer-reviewed scientific journal that is published by the Nature Publishing Group. Launched in January 2007, the journal focuses on the field of photonics, which includes research into the science and technology of light generation, manipulation, and detection. Its content ranges from fundamental research to applied science, covering topics such as lasers, optical devices, photonics materials, and photonics for energy. In addition to research papers, <em> Nature Photonics </em> also publishes reviews, news, and commentary on significant developments in the photonics field. It is a highly respected publication and is widely read by researchers, academics, and professionals in the photonics and related fields.

Read more | >

I’ve long been fascinated by the fundamental mystery of our universe’s origin. In my work, I explore an alternative to the traditional singularity-based models of cosmology. Instead of a universe emerging from an infinitely dense point, I propose that a flat universe and its time-reversed partner—an anti-universe—can emerge together from nothing through a smooth, quantum process.

This model, described in a manuscript accepted for publication in Europhysics Letters, addresses some of the key challenges in earlier proposals, such as the Hartle–Hawking no-boundary and Vilenkin’s tunneling approaches.

Read more | >

International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) researchers have developed a neuromorphic photonic semiconductor neuron capable of processing optical information through self-sustained oscillations. Exploring the use of light to control negative differential resistance (NDR) in a micropillar quantum resonant tunneling diode (RTD), the research indicates that this approach could lead to highly efficient light-driven neuromorphic computing systems.

Neuromorphic computing seeks to replicate the information-processing capabilities of biological neural networks. Neurons in rely on rhythmic burst firing for sensory encoding, , and network synchronization, functions that depend on oscillatory activity for signal transmission and processing.

Existing neuromorphic approaches replicate these processes using electrical, mechanical, or thermal stimuli, but optical-based systems offer advantages in speed, energy efficiency, and miniaturization. While previous research has demonstrated photonic synapses and artificial afferent nerves, these implementations require additional circuits that increase power consumption and complexity.

Read more | >

For decades, atomic clocks have been the pinnacle of precision timekeeping, enabling GPS navigation, cutting-edge physics research, and tests of fundamental theories. But researchers at JILA, led by JILA and NIST Fellow and University of Colorado Boulder physics professor Jun Ye, in collaboration with the Technical University of Vienna, are pushing beyond atomic transitions to something potentially even more stable: a nuclear clock.

This clock could revolutionize timekeeping by using a uniquely low-energy transition within the nucleus of a thorium-229 atom. This transition is less sensitive to environmental disturbances than modern atomic clocks and has been proposed for tests of fundamental physics beyond the Standard Model.

This idea isn’t new in Ye’s laboratory. In fact, work in the lab on nuclear clocks began with a landmark experiment, the results of which were published as a cover article of Nature last year, where the team made the first frequency-based, quantum-state-resolved measurement of the thorium-229 nuclear transition in a thorium-doped host crystal. This achievement confirmed that thorium’s nuclear transition could be measured with enough precision to be used as a timekeeping reference.

Read more | >

A new study probing quantum phenomena in neurons as they transmit messages in the brain could provide fresh insight into how our brains function.

In this project, described in the Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal, theoretical physicist Partha Ghose from the Tagore Centre for Natural Sciences and Philosophy in India, together with theoretical neuroscientist Dimitris Pinotsis from City St George’s, University of London and the MillerLab of MIT, proved that established equations describing the classical physics of brain responses are mathematically equivalent to equations describing quantum mechanics. Ghose and Pinotsis then derived a Schrödinger-like equation specifically for neurons.

Our brains process information via a vast network containing many millions of neurons, which can each send and receive chemical and electrical signals. Information is transmitted by nerve impulses that pass from one neuron to the next, thanks to a flow of ions across the neuron’s cell membrane. This results in an experimentally detectable change in electrical potential difference across the membrane known as the “action potential” or “spike”

Read more | >

In their ongoing efforts to push the boundaries of quantum possibilities, physicists in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis have created a new type of “time crystal,” a novel phase of matter that defies common perceptions of motion and time.

The WashU research team includes Kater Murch, the Charles M. Hohenberg Professor of Physics, Chong Zu, an assistant professor of physics, and Zu’s graduate students Guanghui He, Ruotian “Reginald” Gong, Changyu Yao, and Zhongyuan Liu. Bingtian Ye from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University’s Norman Yao are also authors of the research, which has been published in the journal Physical Review X.

Zu, He, and Ye spoke about their achievement and the implications of catching time in a crystal.

Read more | >

Quantum physics just took a leap from theory to reality! Empa researchers have, for the first time, successfully built a long-theorized one-dimensional alternating Heisenberg model using synthetic nanographenes.

By precisely shaping these tiny carbon structures, they’ve unlocked new ways to manipulate quantum states, confirming century-old predictions. This breakthrough could be a stepping stone toward real-world quantum technologies, from ultra-fast computing to unbreakable encryption.

Recreating a Century-Old Quantum Model.

Read more | >

📝 — Ching, et al.

Full text is available 👇

The spike protein (S-protein) is a crucial part of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), with its many domains responsible for binding, fusion, and host cell entry. In this review we use the density functional theory (DFT) calculations to analyze the atomic-scale interactions and investigate the consequences of mutations in S-protein domains. We specifically describe the key amino acids and functions of each domain, which are essential for structural stability as well as recognition and fusion processes with the host cell; in addition, we speculate on how mutations affect these properties.

Read more | >

Lockheed Martin has secured a contract from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Innovation Unit (DIU) to develop a quantum-enabled Inertial Navigation System (INS) prototype.

This new technology, named QuINS, aims to redefine navigation capabilities for military operations by providing accurate location data even in areas where GPS signals are unreliable or unavailable.

QuINS employs quantum sensing technology to enhance navigation and positioning.

Read more | >

The race toward scalable quantum computing has reached a pivotal moment, with major players like Microsoft, Google, and IBM pushing forward with breakthroughs. Microsoft’s recent announcement of its Majorana 1 chip marks a significant milestone, while Google’s Willow chip and IBM’s long-term quantum roadmap illustrate the industry’s diverse approaches to achieving fault-tolerant quantum systems. As the quantum computing industry debates the timeline for practical implementation, breakthroughs like Majorana 1 and Willow suggest that major advancements may be closer than previously thought. At the same time, skepticism remains, with industry leaders such as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang cautioning that meaningful commercial quantum applications could still be decades away.

Microsoft is redefining quantum computing with its new Majorana 1 chip, a significant breakthrough in the pursuit of scalable and fault-tolerant quantum systems. This quantum processor is built on a novel topological architecture that integrates Majorana particles, exotic quantum states that enhance qubit stability and reduce errors. Unlike conventional qubit technologies, which require extensive error correction, Microsoft’s approach aims to build fault tolerance directly into the hardware, significantly improving the feasibility of large-scale quantum computing. Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s CEO, highlighted the significance of this milestone in his LinkedIn post, We’ve created an entirely new state of matter, powered by a new class of materials, topoconductors. This fundamental leap in computing enables the first quantum processing unit built on a topological core.

Read more | >