Researchers used quantum computers to simulate fermionic particles crucial for understanding materials, chemistry and high-energy physics.
Category: quantum physics – Page 223
Quantum Systems Obey Second Law Of Thermodynamics
The fundamental principles of thermodynamics have long been a cornerstone of our understanding of the physical world, with the second law of thermodynamics standing as a testament to the inexorable march towards disorder and entropy that governs all closed systems. However, the realm of quantum physics has traditionally appeared to defy this notion, with mathematical formulations suggesting that entropy remains constant in these systems.
Recent research has shed new light on this seeming paradox, revealing that the apparent contradiction between quantum mechanics and thermodynamics can be reconciled through a nuanced understanding of entropy itself. By adopting a definition of entropy that is compatible with the principles of quantum physics, specifically the concept of Shannon entropy, scientists have demonstrated that even isolated quantum systems will indeed evolve towards greater disorder over time, their entropy increasing as the uncertainty of measurement outcomes grows.
This breakthrough insight has far-reaching implications for our comprehension of the interplay between quantum theory and thermodynamics, and is poised to play a pivotal role in the development of novel quantum technologies that rely on the manipulation of complex many-particle systems.
Nano-Oscillators Reveal the Hidden Dance of Light and Matter Like Never Before
Using levitating nanospheres trapped in laser beams, they can observe how matter behaves in ways never seen before. This breakthrough could help unravel the mysteries of the quantum world.
Exploring the Boundary Between Classical and Quantum Worlds
A recent study published in the scientific journal Optica introduces a groundbreaking experimental device that bridges the gap between classical and quantum physics. This innovative instrument enables researchers to observe and study phenomena from both realms simultaneously. Developed in Florence, the device is the result of a collaborative effort within the National Quantum Science and Technology Institute (NQSTI). It involves experts from the University of Florence’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, the National Institute of Optics (CNR-INO), the European Laboratory for Nonlinear Spectroscopy (LENS), and the Florence branch of the National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN).
Our quantum world
Lasers. MRIs. Precision timekeeping. Solar cells. SI units of measure. High-contrast, high-efficiency display devices. Ultraprecise sensors. Optimized drug development. Secure communications. Most of us don’t think about it, but we interact with quantum-enabled devices and applications on a regular basis, and that’s only going to accelerate.
Historic Breakthrough in Quantum Physics — True Form of Electrons Finally Revealed
For the first time ever, scientists have managed to snap a picture of an electron’s shape while it moves through a solid. While it doesn’t sound remotely impressive for the average Joe, this discovery gives us a whole new way to look at electrons.
This photographic achievement could lead to big changes in things like quantum computers, futuristic electronics, and maybe even gadgets we haven’t imagined yet. The research was led by physicist Riccardo Comin, a professor at MIT, along with a team of collaborators from various institutions.
“We’ve essentially created a blueprint for uncovering completely new insights that were out of reach before,” explains Comin. His colleague and co-author, Mingu Kang, carried out much of the work at MIT before continuing his research at Cornell University.
Experiment with 37 dimensions shows how strange quantum physics can be
A search for particles’ most paradoxical quantum states led researchers to construct a 37-dimensional experiment.
Scientists create a quantum register with 13,000 nuclear spins
Quantum networks require quantum nodes that are built using quantum dots.
However, a new study impressively solves these challenges. The study authors successfully used 13,000 nuclear spins in a gallium arsenide (GaAs) quantum dot system to create a scalable quantum register.
Quantum networks require quantum nodes that are built using quantum dots — tiny particles, much smaller than a human hair, which can trap and control electrons, and store quantum information.
Quantum dots are valued for their ability to emit single photons because single-photon sources are key requirements for secure quantum communication and quantum computing applications.
Why even physicists still don’t understand quantum theory 100 years on
Everyone has their favourite example of a trick that reliably gets a certain job done, even if they don’t really understand why. Back in the day, it might have been slapping the top of your television set when the picture went fuzzy. Today, it might be turning your computer off and on again.
Quantum mechanics — the most successful and important theory in modern physics — is like that. It works wonderfully, explaining things from lasers and chemistry to the Higgs boson and the stability of matter. But physicists don’t know why. Or at least, if some of us think we know why, most others don’t agree.
Quantum Experiment Reveals Light Existing in Dozens of Dimensions
A paradox at the heart of quantum physics has been tested in an extraordinary fashion, pushing the boundaries of human intuition beyond breaking point by measuring a pulse of light in 37 dimensions.
Led by scientists from the University of Science and Technology of China, a team of researchers developed a method of testing a type of Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) paradox according to strict criteria using a fiber-based photonic processor.
Their findings clarify how quantum weirdness operates on a fundamental level, potentially informing future applications in quantum technology. Not to mention reaffirming just how useless our brains are at understanding the operations manual for our Universe’s engine.
Electrons Frozen Yet Free: A Quantum Breakthrough in Graphene
Graphene is an allotrope of carbon in the form of a single layer of atoms in a two-dimensional hexagonal lattice in which one atom forms each vertex. It is the basic structural element of other allotropes of carbon, including graphite, charcoal, carbon nanotubes, and fullerenes. In proportion to its thickness, it is about 100 times stronger than the strongest steel.