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Engineers, physicists, computer scientists and more are needed for the second quantum revolution.

A major challenge in realizing quantum computers is the development of quantum error correction technology. This technology offers a solution for addressing errors that occur in the qubit, the basic unit of quantum computation, and prevents them from being amplified during the computation.

Researchers from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have taken a major step forward in using quantum mechanics to enhance sensing devices, a new advancement that could be used in a wide range of areas, including materials characterization, improved imaging and biological and medical applications.

Thin-film lithium niobate is an emerging nonlinear integrated photonics platform ideally suited for quantum applications. Through spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC), it can generate correlated photon pairs for quantum key distribution, teleportation, and computing.

Quantum memory lets a quantum computer perform a task not necessarily with fewer steps, but with less data. Could this in itself be a way to prove quantum advantage?

The new papers show that quantum memory lets a quantum computer perform a task not necessarily with fewer steps, but with less data. As a result, researchers believe this in itself could be a way to prove quantum advantage. “It allows us to, in the more near term, already achieve that kind of quantum advantage,” said Hsin-Yuan Huang, a physicist at Google Quantum AI.

But researchers are excited about the practical benefits too, as the new results make it easier for researchers to understand complex quantum systems.

Continue reading “‘Quantum Memory’ Proves Exponentially Powerful” »

A mathematical study finds that three definitions of what it means for entropy to increase, which have previously been considered equivalent, can produce different results in the quantum realm.

By Karmela Padavic-Callaghan

Bell’s theorem, the well-known theoretical framework introduced by John Bell decades ago, delineates the limits of classical physical processes arising from relativistic causality principles. These are principles rooted in Einstein’s theory of relativity, which dictate how cause and effect operate in the universe.

Advancements in quantum information technology are paving the way for faster and more efficient data transfer. A key challenge has been ensuring that qubits, the fundamental units of quantum information, can be transferred between different wavelengths without losing their essential properties, such as coherence and entanglement.

Many scientists are studying different materials for their potential use in quantum technology. One important feature of the atoms in these materials is called spin. Scientists want to control atomic spins to develop new types of materials, known as spintronics. They could be used in advanced technologies like memory devices and quantum sensors for ultraprecise measurements.

In a recent breakthrough, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory and Northern Illinois University discovered that they could use light to detect the spin state in a class of materials called perovskites (specifically in this research methylammonium lead iodide, or MAPbI₃). Perovskites have many potential uses, from solar panels to quantum technology.

The work is published in the journal Nature Communications.