Category Archives: Quantum Physics

The business of artificial intelligence is booming. In all walks of life, youd be hard pressed not to find some sort of AI in what you do daily. It may be as simple as pulling up directions on your phone or as complicated as touching up photos with generative AI programs.

For Augusta University graduate Philip Dyche, hes trying to capitalize on the growing industry.Dyche is starting up a business called DocuSight AI that features three products. One, called PDFchat Pro, is designed for professionals. This AI tool is useful for professionals who need to navigate through complex documents quickly and efficiently. Businesses can now upload large files and then allow AI to help extract exactly what the business may need to function at a higher level.

The second product is called StudyBud AI, which is similar to the first, but is designed for educational purposes. Students can upload their textbooks or other student materials, and artificial intelligence will learn the content, simplify complex subjects and provide insightful answers to a students questions. Dyche feels this is a game-changer for students who want to optimize their study potential. He sees the demands on students, especially those already working full-time, and knows this AI tool can help them out.

The final product is called AgapeChat AI. Agape translates to love in Hebrew. During a humorous conversation with his father, an idea was born to upload different versions of the Bible. Users can ask questions to their selection of pre-uploaded Bibles and receive immediate, in-context responses. This can enhance the faith exploration journey for spiritual seekers and religious educators, Dyche said.

Its an impressive leap for this 26-year-old who graduated in 2021 with a physics degree from Augusta Universitys College of Science and Mathematics, complemented by minors in math and business.

After contributing as a capacity planning analyst at Southern Company Gas, Dyche is set to embark on a new journey as a nuclear physicist with Southern Nuclear starting in October. Unfazed by the challenges and ever confident, he is optimistic about the road ahead.

I am very positive about things. I try to not have a lot of things hold me back, said Dyche.

He also wanted to get in on the AI business early, so he can be positioned well for the future.

Thats exactly like I was thinking. Its like having the chance to invest in Google when it was just a startup. If you got in on that early, youd be set for life, said Dyche.

Dyche came to Augusta University originally for the pre-dental program, but switched to the physics program upon hearing more about it. It led to opening the doors to the nuclear field along with a number of opportunities.

The influence of AU, the bond with my fraternity brothers, the chats with other students and the support from the staff all pushed me. I wanted to do big things after college, and now its like Ive strapped into a rocket and Im just taking off.

While physics delved into topics like electrodynamics, quantum physics and intricate math formulas that might seem like rocket science, its true lesson was profound yet simple, Dyche said. It taught me that even the most complicated issues can be dissected into smaller, more manageable parts. This approach isnt just academic; its a valuable skill in the business world, making complex tasks more approachable.

It got him thinking about artificial intelligence. He said its not easy to find a tutor for quantum physics or electrodynamics. He thought if you could sit down and talk to your textbook, that would serve as a guide to help with the studying and understanding of difficult topics.

He saw how the technology industry was starting to boom with AI. Since he was already coding, he began to play around more with it and saw there was a gap in the workforce with file and document analysis. That was sort of the light bulb moment for Dyche to develop DocuSight AI.

There are a ton of apps out there to check your files, but imagine digging through a massive 400- to 500-page PDF, just trying to find a warranty or product ID. Its like searching for a needle in a haystack. Thats where DocuSight AI can be a game changer. Its like having an assistant in your pocket. You ask, and in a snap, you get your answer. I just couldnt ignore such a glaring gap and the chance to make things easier.

Along with his studies at Augusta University, Dyche also served as president of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. Hes still using those connections to further his business venture.

One of my fraternity brothers, Alex Rountree, is working for the national organization, so hes going to be at different schools throughout the nation. Hes going to be helping me market my company to all those different schools while hes out there recruiting for the fraternity men, added Dyche.

Read more: Criminal justice grad retires his paws as Augusta University mascot

As a physics student, he credits Joseph Hauger, PhD, Fuller E. Callaway Chair in Physics, for helping him get where he is today.

He greatly impacted many of my post-college endeavors. Not only is hes an exceptional teacher, hes also a genuine leader. His positive influence reaches many students. It was Hauger who introduced me to coding and robotics.

Besides working for Southern Nuclear and getting DocuSight AI off the ground, Dyche is also pursuing a Master in Business Administration. He has a quest for knowledge that shows no sign of slowing down, and he gives a lot of credit to the AU influence on his career.

Honestly, I never saw myself being in this spot so soon after walking across the graduation stage. It feels like just yesterday. The influence of AU, the bond with my fraternity brothers, the chats with other students and the support from the staff all pushed me. I wanted to do big things after college, and now its like Ive strapped into a rocket and Im just taking off.

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Augusta University graduate starts business in the artificial ... - Jagwire Augusta

In a breakthrough in quantum information storage, researchers have developed a method to translate electrical quantum states into sound and vice versa, utilizing phonons.

Quantum computing, just like traditional computing, requires a method to store the information it uses and processes. In the computer youre using right now, informationwhether it be photos of your dog, a reminder about a friends birthday, or the words youre typing into your browsers address barmust be stored somewhere. Quantum computing, a relatively new field, is still exploring where and how to store quantum information.

In a paper published recently in the journal Nature Physics, Mohammad Mirhosseini, assistant professor of electrical engineering and applied physics at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), shows a new method his lab developed for efficiently translating electrical quantum states into sound and vice versa. This type of translation may allow for storing quantum information prepared by future quantum computers, which are likely to be made from electrical circuits.

Mohammad Mirhosseini and his team have introduced an innovative method to store quantum information by translating electrical quantum states into sound. The new technique utilizes phonons and avoids the energy loss associated with previous methods. It enables longer storage durations and represents a significant advancement in the field of quantum computing. Credit: Maayan Illustration

This method makes use of what are known as phonons, the sound equivalent of a light particle called a photon. (Remember that in quantum mechanics, all waves are particles and vice versa). The experiment investigates phonons for storing quantum information because its relatively easy to build small devices that can store these mechanical waves.

To understand how a sound wave can store information, imagine an extremely echoey room. Now, lets say you need to remember your grocery list for the afternoon, so you open the door to that room and shout, Eggs, bacon, and milk! and shut the door. An hour later, when its time to go to the grocery store, you open the door, poke your head inside, and hear your own voice still echoing, Eggs, bacon, and milk! You just used sound waves to store information.

Mohammad Mirhosseini. Credit: Caltech

Of course, in the real world, an echo like that wouldnt last very long, and your voice might end up so distorted you can no longer make out your own words, not to mention that using an entire room for storing a little bit of data would be ridiculous. The research teams solution is a tiny device consisting of flexible plates that are vibrated by sound waves at extremely high frequencies. When an electric charge is placed on those plates, they become able to interact with electrical signals carrying quantum information. This allows that information to be piped into the device for storage, and be piped out for later usenot unlike the door to the room you were shouting into earlier in this story.

According to Mohammad Mirhosseini, previous studies had investigated a special type of materials known as piezoelectrics as a means of converting mechanical energy to electrical energy in quantum applications.

These materials, however, tend to cause energy loss for electrical and sound waves, and loss is a big killer in the quantum world, Mirhosseini says. In contrast, the new method developed by Mirhosseini and his team is independent on the properties of specific materials, making it compatible with established quantum devices, which are based on microwaves.

Creating effective storage devices with small footprints has been another practical challenge for researchers working on quantum applications, says Alkim Bozkurt, a graduate student in Mirhosseinis group and the lead author of the paper.

However, our method enables the storage of quantum information from electrical circuits for durations two orders of magnitude longer than other compact mechanical devices, he adds.

Reference: A quantum electromechanical interface for long-lived phonons by Alkim Bozkurt, Han Zhao, Chaitali Joshi, Henry G. LeDuc, Peter K. Day and Mohammad Mirhosseini, 22 June 2023, Nature Physics. DOI: 10.1038/s41567-023-02080-w

Co-authors include Chaitali Joshi and Han Zhao, both postdoctoral scholars in electrical engineering and applied physics; and Peter Day and Henry LeDuc, who are scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which Caltech manages for NASA. The research was funded in part by the KNI-Wheatley Scholars program.

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Quantum Echoes: A Revolutionary Method to Store Information as Sound Waves - SciTechDaily

For the first time, researchers have observed "quantum superchemistry" in the lab.

Long theorized but never before seen, quantum superchemistry is a phenomenon in which atoms or molecules in the same quantum state chemically react more rapidly than do atoms or molecules that are in different quantum states. A quantum state is a set of characteristics of a quantum particle, such as spin (angular momentum) or energy level.

To observe this new super-charged chemistry, researchers had to coax not just atoms, but entire molecules, into the same quantum state. When they did, however, they saw that the chemical reactions occurred collectively, rather than individually. And the more atoms were involved, meaning the greater the density of the atoms, the quicker the chemical reactions went.

"What we saw lined up with the theoretical predictions," Cheng Chin, a professor of physics at the University of Chicago who led the research, said in a statement. "This has been a scientific goal for 20 years, so it's a very exciting era."

Related: What is quantum entanglement?

"What we saw lined up with the theoretical predictions," Cheng Chin, a professor of physics at the University of Chicago who led the research, said in a statement. "This has been a scientific goal for 20 years, so it's a very exciting era."

The team reported their findings July 24 in the journal Nature Physics. They observed the quantum superchemistry in cesium atoms that paired up to form molecules. First, they cooled cesium gas to near absolute zero, the point at which all motion ceases. In this chilled state, they could ease each cesium atom into the same quantum state. They then altered the surrounding magnetic field to kick off the chemical bonding of the atoms.

These atoms reacted more quickly together to form two-atom cesium molecules than when the researchers conducted the experiment in normal, non-super-cooled gas. The resulting molecules also shared the same quantum state, at least over several milliseconds, after which the atoms and molecules start to decay, no longer oscillating together.

"[W]ith this technique, you can steer the molecules into an identical state," Chin said.

The researchers found that though the end result of the reaction was a two-atom molecule, three atoms were actually involved, with a spare atom interacting with the two bonding atoms in a way that facilitated the reaction.

This could be useful for applications in quantum chemistry and quantum computing, as molecules in the same quantum state share physical and chemical properties. The experiments are part of the field of ultracold chemistry, which aims to gain incredibly detailed control over chemical reactions by taking advantage of the quantum interactions that occur in these cold states. Ultracold particles could be used as qubits, or the quantum bits that carry information in quantum computing, for example.

The study used only simple molecules, so the next goal is to attempt to create quantum superchemistry with more complex molecules, Chin said.

"How far we can push our understanding and our knowledge of quantum engineering, into more complicated molecules, is a major research direction in this scientific community," he said.

This article was provided by Live Science.

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'Quantum superchemistry' observed for the 1st time ever - Space.com

Unraveling the mystery of insulator-to-metal transitions, new research into the quantum avalanche uncovers new insights into resistive switching and offers potential breakthroughs in microelectronics.

New Study Solves Mystery on Insulator-to-Metal Transition

A study explored insulator-to-metal transitions, uncovering discrepancies in the traditional Landau-Zener formula and offering new insights into resistive switching. By using computer simulations, the research highlights the quantum mechanics involved and suggests that electronic and thermal switching can arise simultaneously, with potential applications in microelectronics and neuromorphic computing.

Looking only at their subatomic particles, most materials can be placed into one of two categories.

Metals like copper and iron have free-flowing electrons that allow them to conduct electricity, while insulators like glass and rubber keep their electrons tightly bound and therefore do not conduct electricity.

Insulators can turn into metals when hit with an intense electric field, offering tantalizing possibilities for microelectronics and supercomputing, but the physics behind this phenomenon called resistive switching is not well understood.

Questions, like how large an electric field is needed, are fiercely debated by scientists, like University at Buffalo condensed matter theorist Jong Han.

I have been obsessed by that, he says.

Han, PhD, professor of physics in the College of Arts and Sciences, is the lead author on a study that takes a new approach to answer a long-standing mystery about insulator-to-metal transitions. The study, Correlated insulator collapse due to quantum avalanche via in-gap ladder states, was published in May in Nature Communications.

University at Buffalo physics professor Jong Han is the lead author on a new study that helps solve a longstanding physics mystery on how insulators transition into metals via an electric field, a process known as resistive switching. Credit: Douglas Levere, University at Buffalo

The difference between metals and insulators lies in quantum mechanical principles, which dictate that electrons are quantum particles and their energy levels come in bands that have forbidden gaps, Han says.

Since the 1930s, the Landau-Zener formula has served as a blueprint for determining the size of electric field needed to push an insulators electrons from its lower bands to its upper bands. But experiments in the decades since have shown materials require a much smaller electric field approximately 1,000 times smaller than the Landau-Zener formula estimated.

So, there is a huge discrepancy, and we need to have a better theory, Han says.

To solve this, Han decided to consider a different question: What happens when electrons already in the upper band of an insulator are pushed?

Han ran a computer simulation of resistive switching that accounted for the presence of electrons in the upper band. It showed that a relatively small electric field could trigger a collapse of the gap between the lower and upper bands, creating a quantum path for the electrons to go up and down between the bands.

To make an analogy, Han says, Imagine some electrons are moving on a second floor. When the floor is tilted by an electric field, electrons not only begin to move but previously forbidden quantum transitions open up and the very stability of the floor abruptly falls apart, making the electrons on different floors flow up and down.

Then, the question is no longer how the electrons on the bottom floor jump up, but the stability of higher floors under an electric field.

This idea helps solve some of the discrepancies in the Landau-Zener formula, Han says. It also provides some clarity to the debate over insulator-to-metal transitions caused by electrons themselves or those caused by extreme heat. Hans simulation suggests the quantum avalanche is not triggered by heat. However, the full insulator-to-metal transition doesnt happen until the separate temperatures of the electrons and phonons quantum vibrations of the crystals atoms equilibrate. This shows that the mechanisms for electronic and thermal switching are not exclusive of each other, Han says, but can instead arise simultaneously.

So, we have found a way to understand some corner of this whole resistive switching phenomenon, Han says. But I think its a good starting point.

The study was co-authored by Jonathan Bird, PhD, professor and chair of electrical engineering in UBs School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, who provided experimental context. His team has been studying the electrical properties of emergent nanomaterials that exhibit novel states at low temperatures, which can teach researchers a lot about the complex physics that govern electrical behavior.

While our studies are focused on resolving fundamental questions about the physics of new materials, the electrical phenomena that we reveal in these materials could ultimately provide the basis of new microelectronic technologies, such as compact memories for use in data-intensive applications like artificial intelligence, Bird says.

The research could also be crucial for areas like neuromorphic computing, which tries to emulate the electrical stimulation of the human nervous system. Our focus, however, is primarily on understanding the fundamental phenomenology, Bird says.

Since publishing the paper, Han has devised an analytic theory that matches the computers calculation well. Still, theres more for him to investigate, like the exact conditions needed for a quantum avalanche to happen.

Somebody, an experimentalist, is going to ask me, Why didnt I see that before? Han says. Some might have seen it, some might not have. We have a lot of work ahead of us to sort it out.

Reference: Correlated insulator collapse due to quantum avalanche via in-gap ladder states by Jong E. Han, Camille Aron, Xi Chen, Ishiaka Mansaray, Jae-Ho Han, Ki-Seok Kim, Michael Randle and Jonathan P. Bird, 22 May 2023, Nature Communications. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38557-8

Other authors include UB physics PhD student Xi Chen; Ishiaka Mansaray, who received a PhD in physics and is now a postdoc at the National Institute of Standards and Technology; and Michael Randle, who received a PhD in electrical engineering and is now a postdoc at the Riken research institute in Japan. Other authors include international researchers representing cole Normale Suprieure, French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) in Paris; Pohang University of Science and Technology; and the Center for Theoretical Physics of Complex Systems, Institute for Basic Science.

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Quantum Avalanche A Phenomenon That May Revolutionize Microelectronics and Supercomputing - SciTechDaily

Summer 2023 in the Northern Hemisphere is on track to be the hottest on record, and the sun is blazing in the sky. One way to deal with it is to slap on the sunscreen. But have you ever thought about how sunscreen actually works? It all comes down to how photons from the sun interact with our skin.

Photons are the messenger particles of the electromagnetic forceone of the four fundamental forces of natureand are responsible for an array of phenomena including the X-rays we use to examine broken bones, the microwaves we use to reheat food, and, probably most importantly for many people, the visible light we use to see.

During summer, we receive the maximum flux of photons from the sun due to the Earths slight tilt in its direction. At roughly the latitude of Chicago, the flux of photons is three times greater at midday in the peak of summer than during midwinter.

The sun emits photons in all parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, but the majority are from the visible, infrared and ultraviolet segments. Ultraviolet radiation plays an essential role in maintaining plant and animal life, but it has also consistently been identified as a cause of skin cancer. Understanding why is the first step to understanding how sunscreen protects us from it.

UV radiation has a higher frequency than visible or infrared light, which means that, of the three types, UV photons have the most energy. When UV photons hit your skin, their energy has to go somewhere. (Even in the summertime, no one gets a holiday from conserving energy.) In the absence of protection, this energy is transferred to the fats and proteins in your skin. The excess energy is capable of triggering mutations in our DNA, which are a cause of skin cancer.

While our bodies do possess some natural protective mechanisms against UV radiation, the prevalence of skin cancer (along with painful sunburns) clearly demonstrates that it is necessary to enhance these mechanisms artificially.

Enter sunscreen.

The active ingredients of sunscreen fall into two main categories: organic molecules and inorganic crystals. Both of these components act by absorbing UV radiation like a sponge and then dissipating it safely into the environment. How does this work? It all has to do with electrons and quantum mechanics.

As you may remember from chemistry classes, electrons in atoms and molecules occupy orbitals i.e., discrete energy levels. An electron stays put in its home orbital unless it absorbs the right amount of energy to jump up to the next one. Because of this, an electron cant contain any old amount of energyonly specific, quantized amounts. This is where the quantum comes from in quantum mechanics, which includes the study of quantized energy in subatomic particles.

The inorganic compounds in sunscreen have a crystalline structure and contain (mostly) free electrons. These electrons are constantly buzzing around and interacting, which creates a flexible orbital structure called a band gap.

The band presents a loophole to the quantized energy problem in quantum mechanics because it allows electrons to absorb a wide spectrum of energies. (After all, theres not just a single dangerous wavelength of light from the sun.)

In isolated atoms, you have pretty sharp, quantized transitions between atomic orbitals, says Thomas Wolf, a physical chemist at the US Department of Energys SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. If you now have many atoms in a lattice like in an inorganic sunscreen, their atomic orbitals can overlap. This leads to many quantized transitions, which are fairly similar in energy and form bands. If light gets absorbed, electrons get promoted from an occupied to an unoccupied band across a band gap.

When UV photons from the sun hit inorganic sunscreen, the electrons dash from the lower orbitals into the excited orbitals, each jumping a distance equivalent to the energy of the photon that excited it. After a while, the excited electrons drop back down to their original orbitals, releasing the energy they absorbed as heat.

Organic sunscreens work in a similar way, but their active ingredients have no band gaps. Instead, they use the beauty of covalent bonds and hybridized orbitals.

Covalent bonds form when an electron is shared almost evenly between two atoms, and this creates orbital hybridization (the mixing and merging of two independent atomic orbitals into a new super orbital, so to speak). Organic sunscreens use rings and chains of covalently bonded carbon atoms to play with the distance between these new ground and excited states. Combining many different molecules with many different orbital configurations allows organic sunscreens to protect the skin against many different wavelengths of light.

There is ongoing research to find the most efficient mechanism for the excited electrons in sunscreen to release their energy, with researchers taking inspiration from the mechanisms that plants use to protect themselves from the sun. Scientists are also researching how to make organic sunscreens hardier, since over time and after atoms have absorbed a certain amount of energy, the bonds between them can snap.

So there you have it, the science behind sunscreen. To all you physics students out there: Even on the beach, you are still applying quantum mechanics, literally to your skin!

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Applications of quantum mechanics at the beach - Symmetry magazine

This book is for readers with an interest in physics and astronomy. While some concepts are difficult, no knowledge of physics or mathematics is needed.

On the Origin of Time Stephen Hawkings Final Theory

Thomas Hertog, Bantam New York, 313 pages

This is not a book for a leisurely afternoon read in the car while waiting to pick up the kids after hockey practice. It needs concentration and a willingness to reread some passages, dealing as it does to a large extent with aspects of quantum physics, which by itself often requires a suspension of disbelief.

Not a very enthusiastic opening statement for a book review you may think, but readers who persevere will be more than richly rewarded with insights into some of the most exciting concepts in modern cosmology.

The author was for a long time a collaborator and friend of Stephen Hawking, who certainly needs no introduction. His admiration for his late colleague shines from almost every page.

Together they spent years theorizing about the universes biophilic nature (a word Hertog clearly likes), that is to say, why is our cosmos so apparently fine-tuned for life. Change just one or two of many physical constants by miniscule amounts and we wont be here to discuss this phenomenon.

Why is this so? Hawking and Hertog werent the first to examine this and wont be the last. This book describes their thoughts in fascinating and almost overwhelming detail.

Various theories have been proposed to explain this, some gaining general acceptance, others seemingly outlandish even when finding favour in the physics community. After all, when a theory states that every time something happens the universe splits into consecutively multiplying and different multiverses, not in contact with each other, some where the observer adds sugar to coffee and some adding salt, or adding nothing at all (or a gazillion other possibilities), it may be hard to take seriously.

The thing is: the two-split experiment (see link at the end), which is fundamental to quantum theory and which has been proved multiple times, is one of the strangest concepts I know, but the phenomenon it illustrates is real so what must one make of these strange theories which also involve quantum physics?

Hertog starts his walk through the cosmos with the big bang and the Belgian astronomer-priest Georges Lematre, explaining Hawkings no-boundary theory of time folding into space, ceasing to exist at the very beginning of the universe. We are then told about the quantum soup of particles which emerged, ending with the realization that the laws of physics as we know them today probably emerged right at the beginning, having been subject to what one may perhaps call natural selection in the style of Darwin.

Hawking has disowned his bestselling Brief History of Time of some years ago, and together with Hertog devised what he calls top-down cosmology. This viewpoint holds (inter alia) that the nature and course of development of the universe is influenced by observers, which are often and incorrectly stated by some journalists to be humans. This need not be the case, a casual glance by a mouse will suffice, or an electron hitting a crystal.

This state of affairs is (for me) somewhat reminiscent of the anthropic principle, although Hertog never mentions it.

We end with the realization that the universe may be a hologram: At a conceptual level, holography seals the top-down approach to cosmology. The central tenet of holographic cosmology that the past projects from a web of entangled quantum particles that form a lower-dimensional hologram implies a top-down view of the universe. Holography tells us that there is an entity more basic than time a hologram from which the past emerges.

Whatever ones opinion of the Hawking-Hertog universe may be, I find one aspect deeply satisfying: previously cosmologists looked at the universe as if from the outside in. Hawking and Hertogs perspective is from the inside we are part of the universe, not separate from it.

This book is for readers with an interest in physics and astronomy. While some concepts are difficult, no knowledge of physics or mathematics is needed.

Anyone who wants to find out more about the double slit experiment can watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9tKncAdlHQ.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

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Book Review: On the Origin of Time Stephen Hawking's Final Theory - Moose Jaw Today

Harnessing Quantum Technologies: The Next Big Leap in Global Telecommunications

The world of telecommunications is on the brink of a revolutionary transformation, thanks to the advent of quantum technologies. This cutting-edge technology, which exploits the principles of quantum mechanics, is set to redefine the way we communicate, offering unprecedented speed, security, and efficiency.

Quantum technology is a complex and fascinating field that leverages the peculiar properties of quantum physics. At its core, it involves the manipulation of individual particles like atoms, electrons, and photons to create advanced technological systems. The potential applications of this technology are vast and varied, but its implications for the telecommunications sector are particularly profound.

One of the most promising applications of quantum technology in telecommunications is quantum key distribution (QKD). This technology uses the principles of quantum mechanics to create unbreakable encryption keys, ensuring the secure transmission of information. In a world where data breaches and cyber-attacks are increasingly common, the importance of this cannot be overstated. QKD could provide a level of security that is currently unattainable with traditional encryption methods, making it a game-changer for industries that rely heavily on secure communications, such as finance, healthcare, and defense.

Another exciting development is the prospect of quantum internet. This would involve using quantum entanglement, a phenomenon where particles become interconnected and can instantly affect each other regardless of distance, to transmit information. This could potentially allow for instantaneous communication across vast distances, revolutionizing global connectivity. While this technology is still in its infancy, the potential implications are staggering.

The advent of quantum technologies also promises to enhance the capacity and speed of telecommunications networks. Quantum bits, or qubits, can exist in multiple states at once, unlike traditional bits that can only be in one state at a time. This means that quantum computers could process information much faster than their classical counterparts, potentially leading to a dramatic increase in network speeds.

However, harnessing quantum technologies is not without its challenges. The technology is still in its early stages, and there are significant technical hurdles to overcome. Quantum systems are extremely sensitive to environmental disturbances, making them difficult to stabilize and control. Moreover, the technology requires significant investment in infrastructure and research, which may be prohibitive for some countries and companies.

Despite these challenges, the potential benefits of quantum technologies are too significant to ignore. Governments and corporations around the world are investing heavily in quantum research and development, recognizing its potential to transform the telecommunications landscape.

In conclusion, quantum technologies represent the next big leap in global telecommunications. They promise to revolutionize the way we communicate, offering unprecedented speed, security, and efficiency. While there are significant challenges to overcome, the potential benefits are too significant to ignore. As we stand on the brink of this technological revolution, it is clear that the future of telecommunications lies in the quantum realm.

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Harnessing Quantum Technologies: The Next Big Leap in Global ... - Fagen wasanni

These are very special diamonds that are being worked with at TU Wien: Their crystal lattice is not perfectly regular, it contains numerous defects. In places where there would be two neighboring carbon atoms in a perfect diamond, there is a nitrogen atom, leaving the second place empty. Microwaves can be used to switch these defects between two different states - a higher energy state and a lower energy state. This makes them an interesting tool for various quantum technologies, such as novel quantum sensors or components for quantum computers.

Now, the researchers have succeeded in controlling these defects so precisely that they can be used to trigger a spectacular effect: All defects are brought into the high-energy state, in which they remain for some time, until one then releases all the energy with a tiny microwave pulse and all defects simultaneously change to the low-energy state - similar to a snowfield on which a tiny snowball triggers an avalanche and the entire mass of snow thunders down into the valley at the same time.

Computer visualization of the microwave resonator with superconducting chips and diamond (black). The silver wave represents the quantum avalanche - the sudden emission of an electromagnetic pulse.

"The defects in the diamond have a spin - an angular momentum that points either up or down. These are the two possible states they can be in," says Wenzel Kersten, first author of the current publication, who is currently working on his dissertation in the research group of Prof. Jrg Schmiedmayer (Atomic Institute, Vienna University of Technology).

With the help of a magnetic field, one can achieve that, for example, the "spin up" state corresponds to a higher energy than "spin down." In this case, most atoms will be in the "spin down" state - they normally gravitate to the lower energy state, like a ball in a bowl that normally rolls downward.

But with some clever engineering tricks, it's possible to create what's called an "inversion" - you get the defects to all settle into the higher energy state. "You use microwave radiation for this, by which you first bring the spins into the desired state, then you change the external magnetic field so that the spins are frozen in this state, so to speak," explains Prof. Stefan Rotter (Institute for Theoretical Physics, Vienna University of Technology), who led the theoretical part of the research.

Such an "inversion" is unstable. In principle, the atoms could spontaneously change their state - similar to balancing a broomstick, which in principle can spontaneously tip over in any direction. But the research team was able to show: Extremely precise control, made possible by chip technology developed at TU Wien, can keep the spins of the atoms stable for about 20 milliseconds. "By quantum physics standards, that's a huge amount of time. That's about a hundred thousand times as long as it takes to create this high-energy state or to discharge it again. That's like having a cell phone battery that is charged in an hour and then holds its energy completely for ten years," says Jrg Schmiedmayer.

During this time, however, it is possible to bring about the change of state in a targeted manner - and to do so by means of a very small, weak cause, such as a microwave pulse of minimal intensity. "It causes an atom to change its spin, whereupon neighboring atoms also change their spin - thus creating an avalanche effect. All the energy is released, in the form of a microwave pulse that is about a hundred billion times stronger than the one used to trigger the effect originally," explains Stefan Rotter. "That is proportionally as if a single snowflake were to trigger a snow slab weighing several hundred tons."

This offers many interesting possibilities: For example, one can amplify weak electromagnetic pulses in this way, one could use this for special sensors, one can use it to create a kind of "quantum battery" with which a certain amount of energy can be stored and released in a targeted manner at the quantum level.

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The quantum avalanche - At the Vienna University of Technology, it ... - Chemie.de

Exploring the Role of Semiconductors in Quantum Computing: The Future of AI

Semiconductors, the tiny chips that power our modern world, are poised to play a pivotal role in the future of artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing. As the linchpin of these advanced technologies, semiconductors are set to revolutionize the way we process and analyze data, opening up new possibilities for innovation and growth.

Quantum computing, a field that leverages the principles of quantum mechanics, promises to solve complex problems that are currently beyond the reach of classical computers. At the heart of this technology are quantum bits, or qubits, which can exist in multiple states at once, enabling them to perform multiple calculations simultaneously. This is where semiconductors come into play.

Semiconductors are materials that have a conductivity level somewhere between conductors, like copper and gold, and insulators, like glass and rubber. They are used to make integrated circuits, or chips, which are the building blocks of all modern electronic devices. In the context of quantum computing, semiconductors are used to create qubits.

The use of semiconductors in quantum computing is not without its challenges. Qubits are extremely sensitive to their environment, and even the slightest disturbance can cause them to lose their quantum state, a phenomenon known as decoherence. However, researchers are making strides in overcoming these obstacles. For instance, they are developing new semiconductor materials and designs that can maintain qubits in their quantum state for longer periods, thereby increasing the computational power of quantum computers.

The implications of these advancements for AI are profound. AI relies on the processing and analysis of vast amounts of data to make predictions, recognize patterns, and learn from experience. Quantum computers, powered by semiconductor-based qubits, could process this data exponentially faster than classical computers, thereby supercharging AI capabilities.

Moreover, the integration of AI and quantum computing could lead to the development of new algorithms that can solve complex problems more efficiently. For example, quantum machine learning, a subfield of AI that combines machine learning with quantum physics, could potentially revolutionize fields such as drug discovery, climate modeling, and financial optimization.

In addition, the use of semiconductors in quantum computing could also lead to significant energy savings. Quantum computers are expected to be much more energy-efficient than classical computers, which could help reduce the carbon footprint of data centers, which currently account for about 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

In conclusion, semiconductors are set to play a crucial role in the future of AI and quantum computing. As researchers continue to make breakthroughs in this field, we can expect to see a new era of computing that is faster, more efficient, and more powerful than ever before. The integration of AI and quantum computing, powered by semiconductors, holds the promise of solving some of the worlds most complex problems, and transforming industries across the board.

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Semiconductors: The Linchpin of AI in Quantum Computing - Fagen wasanni

The combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing holds immense potential for groundbreaking discoveries and advancements in various fields. Quantum computing can revolutionize medicine by finding cures for diseases like cancer and Alzheimers, as well as contribute to clean energy solutions with environmental benefits. Moreover, quantum computing complements AIs ability to self-improve and learn from mistakes by adding speed and power.

Previously, AI development experienced an AI winter, where it was overhyped and fell short of its potential. However, recent advancements in generative AI have signaled a new era for machine learning. A similar trajectory is expected for quantum computing, with Professor Giulio Chiribella, director of the Quantum Information and Computation Initiative at the University of Hong Kong, describing it as a remarkable achievement of human ingenuity and knowledge.

Efforts to develop functional quantum computers are underway globally, with significant investments from both the private sector and governments. China, for instance, has invested around $25 billion in quantum computing since the mid-1980s. However, building a practical quantum computer is a monumental challenge. Unlike classical computers, which use bits as binary digits of information, quantum computers utilize qubits (quantum bits). Qubits can exist in multiple states simultaneously due to the nature of quantum physics, making them inherently more complex.

Managing and controlling qubits is difficult due to their fragile nature and susceptibility to interference. Maintaining quantum computers at ultralow temperatures near absolute zero helps preserve qubits stability. Overcoming noise challenges and achieving decoherence is a significant obstacle in quantum computing.

Despite these challenges, quantum computing has the potential to surpass classical computers in terms of speed and power. While classical computers process information linearly, quantum computers can perform multiple calculations simultaneously. This exponential increase in computing capabilities could enable complex calculations that would take classical supercomputers thousands of years to complete in a matter of minutes.

Understanding the potential impact of quantum computing requires some knowledge of quantum physics. The field itself is perplexing and counterintuitive, but it offers a new perspective on the fundamental workings of the universe. Quantum mechanics introduced concepts such as superposition and entanglement, which defy classical notions of reality.

In summary, the collaboration between AI and quantum computing holds great promise for scientific breakthroughs and technological advancements. While challenges remain in developing functional quantum computers, the potential benefits make it a field worth exploring and investing in.

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The Promising Collaboration Between AI and Quantum Computing - Fagen wasanni