Physicists have invented a new type of computer that can help solve complicated physics problems which are too hard for even the most powerful digital computers to figure out.
Researchers from Stanford University in the United States and from University College Dublin (UCD) in Ireland just found out a special kind of computer that works with quantum parts. This new type of computer can solve problems about quantum physics that nobody was able to figure out before. If this technology is able to become bigger, it might even help us answer big questions from our universe!
Scientists and engineers have been trying to figure out how superconducting materials work for a long time. Right now, we use these materials in MRI machines, high-speed trains, and power networks that save energy – but only at very low temperatures. Researchers want to find ways for the materials to work at regular temperatures, like inside your house. That could change technology in awesome ways!
Dr. Andrew Mitchell is the Director of C-QuEST, a theoretical physicist at UCD School of Physics and an author of this paper. According to him, some problems are too hard for even the fastest computers. People cannot accurately simulate complex materials like high-temperature superconductors because computers would need a lot of time and memory space to carry out such simulations.
Recent technological breakthroughs have enabled us to create special computers, known as ‘Quantum Simulators’, which can solve complex problems in physics. These computers use really small parts called nanoscale components and take advantage of the natural properties of quantum mechanics. It’s not possible yet to build a single programmable computer powerful enough to solve all unknown physics questions. But now, we can build models with these quantum components that can specifically tackle certain physics challenges.
Scientists at Stanford University, the University of California Davis (UCD) and the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have built a nanoelectronic circuit with hybrid metal-semiconductor components. Professor David Goldhaber-Gordon from Stanford’s Experimental Nanoscience Group led in building and operating the device while Dr. Mitchell from UCD handled theory and modelling.
Prof Goldhaber-Gordon works at the Stanford Institute for Materials and Energy Sciences. He said that normally makes mathematical models to help understand things, but sometimes it takes too long to figure out if they are even correct or not. With a Quantum Simulator, Prof Goldhaber-Gordon said that people have something new – like knobs to turn – that can help them figure this out quicker.
The World is Changing
The world today is a far different place than it was just a few years ago. We have seen massive advancements in technology and changes to how we live our lives as a result. From the way we work, play, and communicate with one another, technology has allowed us to do things that were once thought impossible. It is no longer enough just to use traditional methods when trying to keep up with the latest trends, instead new technologies must be used in order to stay current. This means exploring new approaches and staying ahead of the curve in order to keep up with all the changes in the world.
Analog devices are machines that solve problems by creating a kind of physical model or picture. As an example, scientists long ago used to try to figure out when and where eclipses would occur in the night sky. To do this, they made a mechanical model of the whole solar system with turning parts that represented the movements of the sun, moon, and planets. This ancient machine was found inside a shipwreck off a Greek island and is known as one of the world’s oldest analog computers!
Back in the late 20th century, people made analog machines in order to do math calculations which were too difficult for even the most advanced digital computers.
To solve quantum physics problems, certain devices have to use quantum components. The new Quantum Simulator architecture uses circuits with very small pieces called nanoscale components that are controlled by the laws of quantum mechanics. What’s important is that a lot of these components can look and act exactly the same. This is key because they can be used as “artificial atoms” in analogue simulations of materials, just like real atoms look and act the same in real materials.
Scientists have recently created a new design that can help make quantum computers better. Simulating large groups of these tiny particles can be done using this design. This design technology also allows scientists to engineer special interactions between the tiny particles. All of this is a step forward to developing improved, larger quantum computers.
Exploring Exotic Quantum Critical Points in the Two-Site Charge Kondo Circuit
To show how the new Quantum Simulator platform can do powerful calculations like a computer, the researchers studied a circuit composed of two parts that are connected together.
Researchers used a device to create an unusual quantum interaction between two atoms. To do this, they adjusted some electrical voltages until they got a new kind of matter – electrons with just one-third of their usual electrical charge called ‘Z3 parafermions’. Scientists think these special states can help with future quantum computing, and this is the first time they’ve been made in a lab.
Dr. Mitchell said that by making the Quantum Simulator bigger, meaning with more nano-sized parts, we can use it to solve complex problems that regular computers wouldn’t be able to handle. He also thinks this could be the first step in understanding some big mysteries of the quantum world.
Scientists recently published an article in Nature Physics called “Quantum simulation of an exotic quantum critical point in a two-site charge Kondo circuit” by Winston Pouse, Lucas Peeters, Connie L. Hsueh, Ulf Gennser, Antonella Cavanna, Marc A. Kastner, Andrew K. Mitchell and David Goldhaber-Gordon on January 30th 2023. This article talks about how scientists can use a type of experiment to measure energy levels at different points in a circuit made up of smaller parts called “charge Kondo circuts”.
