. | . |
Swansea University's physicists develop a new quantum simulation protocol by Staff Writers Swansea UK (SPX) Oct 23, 2017
For most everyday experiences, such as riding a bicycle, using a lift or catching a ball, classical (Newtonian) mechanics is perfectly accurate. However, at atomic and subatomic scales Nature is described by quantum mechanics, formulated around 100 years ago and famously characterised by theoretical physicist Richard Feynman when he said: "I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics". Even today understanding the dynamics of quantum-mechanical systems composed of a large number of interacting particles remains one of the most difficult problems in physics. To address this challenge, an interdisciplinary research collaboration of quantum information theorists from Swansea University's Physics Department has developed a new quantum simulation protocol. In their theory study, published in Physical Review X, high-energy physicist Professor Gert Aarts together with Dr Markus Muller and Alejandro Bermudez propose to use cold atoms as controllable quantum sensors to experimentally access key properties of interacting quantum field theories. The results could elucidate difficult, open questions in condensed matter and high-energy physics. Quantum field theory provides a unifying language that describes a wide variety of systems in nature across many energy scales, ranging from ultra-cold atoms in the laboratory to the most energetic particles at the Large Hadron Collider. Alejandro Bermudez said: "A cornerstone of quantum field theory is the so-called generating functional, from which all correlations between particles can be derived." Professor Aarts added: "Usually this is considered as a mathematical tool that neatly compresses all the relevant information about the quantum field theory into a single, somewhat abstract, quantity." In this work, the team shows how the generating functional can in fact be measured in the lab, using strings of trapped laser-cooled ions. The key idea of the new scheme is to map the information about the generating functional onto a collection of entangled quantum sensors, encoded in electronic states of the ions. "These quantum sensors are then coupled by a sequence of precisely-timed pulses to the quantum field, pretty much like the keys of a piano, which must be pressed at different times to produce a melody", explains Muller. "This melody - corresponding to the experimental interferometric measurement signal - contains the relevant information about the quantum field theory of interest." The results constitute an important step in the broader topic of quantum simulations, which aim to understand problems in quantum many-body physics by means of experimental systems that can be manipulated accurately to represent the quantum field theory under investigation.
Princeton NJ (SPX) Oct 18, 2017 Researchers at Princeton University have detected a unique quantum property of an elusive particle notable for behaving simultaneously like matter and antimatter. The particle, known as the Majorana fermion, is prized by researchers for its potential to open the doors to new quantum computing possibilities. In the study published this week in the journal Science, the research team describe ... read more Related Links Swansea University Understanding Time and Space
|
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us. |