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Scientists have created a quantum superposition state within a semiconductor nanostructure, a significant advancement for quantum computing. By using two carefully calibrated optical laser pulses, they facilitated a unique energy transition, forming a quantum bit within a semiconductor nanostructure. (Artists concept.)

A German-Chinese research team has successfully created a quantum superposition state in a semiconductor nanostructure, marking a significant breakthrough for quantum computing. Achieved through the use of two specifically calibrated short-wavelength optical laser pulses, the team was able to generate a quantum bit, or qubit, in a semiconductor nanostructure.

A German-Chinese research team has successfully created a quantum bit in a semiconductor nanostructure. Using a special energy transition, the researchers created a superposition state in a quantum dot a tiny area of the semiconductor in which an electron hole simultaneously possessed two different energy levels. Such superposition states are fundamental for quantum computing.

Previously, the induction of such a state necessitated a large-scale, free-electron laser capable of emitting light in the terahertz range. Unfortunately, this wavelength was too long to accurately focus the beam on the quantum dot. This team, however, achieved the excitation with two carefully calibrated, short-wavelength optical laser pulses.

The team headed by Feng Liu from Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, together with a group led by Dr. Arne Ludwig from Ruhr University Bochum and other researchers from China and the UK, report their findings in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, published online on July 24, 2023.

Researchers have successfully created a quantum superposition state within a semiconductor nanostructure that might serve as a basis for quantum computing. The trick: two optical laser pulses that act as a single terahertz laser pulse. (The Bochum research team: Hans-Georg Babin (left) and Arne Ludwig.) Credit: RUB, Marquard

To achieve this superposition state, the researchers utilized the radiative Auger transition. In this process, an electron recombines with a hole, partially releasing its energy as a photon and partially transferring it to another electron. The same process can be witnessed with electron holes in other words, missing electrons. In 2021, a team of researchers succeeded for the first time in specifically stimulating the radiative Auger transition in a semiconductor.

In the current project, the researchers showed that the radiative Auger process can be coherently driven: they used two different laser beams with intensities in a specific ratio to each other. With the first laser, they excited an electron-hole pair in the quantum dot to create a quasiparticle consisting of two holes and an electron. With a second laser, they triggered the radiative Auger process to elevate one hole to a series of higher energy states.

The researchers used finely tuned laser pulses to create a superposition between the hole ground state and the higher energy state. The hole thus existed in both states simultaneously. Such superpositions are the basis for quantum bits, which, unlike conventional bits, exist not only in the states 0 and 1, but also in superpositions of both.

Hans-Georg Babin produced the high-purity semiconductor samples for the experiment at Ruhr University Bochum under the supervision of Dr. Arne Ludwig at the Chair for Applied Solid State Physics headed by Professor Andreas Wieck. In the process, the researchers increased the ensemble homogeneity of the quantum dots and ensured the high purity of the structures produced. These measures facilitated the performance of the experiments by the Chinese partners working with Jun-Yong Yan and Feng Liu.

Reference: Coherent control of a high-orbital hole in a semiconductor quantum dot by Jun-Yong Yan, Chen Chen, Xiao-Dong Zhang, Yu-Tong Wang, Hans-Georg Babin, Andreas D. Wieck, Arne Ludwig, Yun Meng, Xiaolong Hu, Huali Duan, Wenchao Chen, Wei Fang, Moritz Cygorek, Xing Lin, Da-Wei Wang, Chao-Yuan Jin and Feng Liu, 24 July 2023, Nature Nanotechnology. DOI: 10.1038/s41565-023-01442-y

The research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (funding codes 62075194, 61975177, U21A6006, U20A20164, 62122067), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2021QNA5006), the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (16KISQ009) and the German Research Foundation (DFH/UFA CDFA-05-06).

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The Dawn of a New Era: A New Type of Quantum Bit Achieved in Semiconductor Nanostructures - SciTechDaily

Munich/Toulouse/Cambridge.Airbus, BMW Group and Quantinuum, world leaders in mobility and quantum technologies, have developed a hybrid quantum-classical workflow to speed up future research using Quantum Computers to simulate quantum systems, focusing on the chemical reactions of catalysts in fuel cells.

In a new technical paper, "Applicability of Quantum Computing to Oxygen Reduction Reaction Simulations", the three partners report accurately modeling the oxygen reduction reaction ("ORR") on the surface of a platinum-based catalyst. The ORR is the chemical reaction in the process that converts hydrogen and oxygen into water and electricity in a fuel cell and it limits the efficiency of the process. It is relatively slow and requires a large amount of platinum catalyst, so there is great interest and value in better understanding the underlying mechanisms involved in the reaction.

Using Quantinuum's H-Series Quantum Computer, the collaboration team has demonstrated the applicability of Quantum Computing in an industrial workflow to enhance our understanding of a critical chemical reaction. The three companies plan further collaboration to explore the use of Quantum Computing to address relevant industrial challenges.

Dr. Peter Lehnert, Vice-President, Research Technologies at BMW Group stated: Circularity and sustainable mobility are putting us on a quest for new materials, to create more efficient products and shape the future premium user experience. Being able to simulate material properties to relevant chemical accuracy with the benefits from the accelerating Quantum Computing hardware is giving us just the right tools for more speed in innovation for this decisive domain.

As a pioneer in the global automotive market BMW Group recognizes the transformative potential of Quantum Computing and its importance in researching new materials, where it can enable faster and more efficient processes while reducing lab prototypes. Approaching and accurately simulating one of the most fundamental electrochemical processes for the first time using Quantum Computing marks a substantial step towards the sustainable energy transition, benefiting metal-air batteries, and other products with enhanced efficiency.

Isabell Gradert, Vice-President, Central Research & Technology at Airbus said: We can clearly envision the benefits of the study in our quest for sustainable and hydrogen powered alternatives such as the ZEROe aircraft, which may operate on fuel cell engines. The study confirms that Quantum Computing is maturing at the scale we need for aviation.

Airbus has identified hydrogen as a promising candidate to power low-carbon aircraft, because it emits no CO2 when flying, when generated from renewable energy. The company previously announced plans to start testing a hydrogen-powered fuel cell propulsion system onboard its ZEROe demonstrator aircraft in the next few years. The company has the ambition to develop the worlds first hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft for market entry by 2035.

Ilyas Khan, Chief Product Officer, Quantinuum said: We have been excited to be working for some time now to support the BMW Group and Airbus, both leaders in their fields, and both of whom recognize that Quantum Computing could play a pivotal role in advancing future sustainable mobility. In this pioneering work, we demonstrate how to integrate Quantum Computing into the industrial workflows of two of the world's most technologically advanced companies, tackling material science problems that are a prime target for progress using Quantum Computing."

The research team hopes that understanding the ORR reaction provides insights that help them identify alternative materials that may improve the performance and reduce the production costs of fuel cells. Modeling chemical reactions such as the ORR accurately is an intractable task for classical computers, due to the quantum properties of the chemical mechanisms involved, making such simulations a good candidate to benefit from a potential quantum advantage in the future.

The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the worlds leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2022, the BMW Group sold nearly 2.4 million passenger vehicles and more than 202,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2022 was 23.5 billion on revenues amounting to 142.6 billion. As of 31 December 2022, the BMW Group had a workforce of 149,475 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company set the course for the future at an early stage and consistently makes sustainability and efficient resource management central to its strategic direction, from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products.

About Quantinuum

Quantinuum is the worlds largest standalone quantum computing company, formed by the combination of Honeywell Quantum Solutions world-leading hardware and Cambridge Quantums class-leading middleware and applications. Science-led and enterprise-driven, Quantinuum accelerates quantum computing and the development of applications across chemistry, cybersecurity, finance and optimization. Its focus is to create scalable and commercial quantum solutions to solve the worlds most pressing problems in fields such as energy, logistics, climate change, and health. The company employs over 480 individuals, including 350+ scientists and engineers, at eight sites across the United States, Europe, and Japan. For more information, please visit https://www.quantinuum.com. The Honeywell trademark is used under license from Honeywell International Inc. Honeywell makes no representations or warranties with respect to this service.

About Airbus

Airbus pioneers sustainable aerospace for a safe and united world. The Company constantly innovates to provide the most efficient and technologically-advanced solutions in aerospace, defence, and connected services. In commercial aircraft, Airbus offers the most modern and fuel-efficient airliners. Airbus is also a European leader in defence and security and one of the world's leading space businesses. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.

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BMW Group, Airbus and Quantinuum collaborate to fast-track sustainable mobility research using cutting-edge ... - BMW Press

Quantum Computing in 2019: Revolutionizing Internet Technologies

Quantum computing, a technology that has been in the realm of science fiction for decades, is now becoming a reality. In 2019, we witnessed significant advancements in this field that are revolutionizing internet technologies and setting the stage for a new era of computing.

Quantum computing operates on the principles of quantum mechanics, a branch of physics that deals with phenomena on a very small scale, such as molecules, atoms, and subatomic particles. Unlike classical computers that use bits (0s and 1s) to process information, quantum computers use quantum bits, or qubits. These qubits can exist in multiple states at once, thanks to a property known as superposition. This allows quantum computers to process a vast number of possibilities simultaneously, potentially solving complex problems much faster than classical computers.

In 2019, quantum computing made headlines when Google announced that it had achieved quantum supremacy. This term refers to the point at which a quantum computer can perform a calculation that is practically impossible for a classical computer to solve within a reasonable timeframe. Googles 54-qubit processor, named Sycamore, reportedly accomplished a task in 200 seconds that would take the worlds most powerful supercomputer 10,000 years to complete. This marked a significant milestone in the field of quantum computing, demonstrating its potential to outperform classical computers in certain tasks.

However, its important to note that we are still in the early stages of quantum computing. While Googles achievement is impressive, it doesnt mean that quantum computers are ready to replace classical computers. The task performed by Sycamore was designed specifically to play to the strengths of quantum computers and doesnt have practical applications. Moreover, quantum computers are currently very delicate and require extremely cold temperatures to operate, making them impractical for widespread use.

Despite these challenges, the advancements in quantum computing in 2019 have significant implications for internet technologies. One area that stands to benefit greatly is cryptography. Many of the encryption methods that protect our online data rely on complex mathematical problems that classical computers find difficult to solve. Quantum computers, with their ability to process multiple possibilities simultaneously, could potentially crack these codes with ease. This has led to a race to develop quantum-resistant encryption methods to protect our data in the future.

In addition, quantum computing could revolutionize areas such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. These fields often involve complex calculations and large datasets that can be processed more efficiently by quantum computers. This could lead to more powerful AI systems and more accurate machine learning models.

In conclusion, 2019 was a pivotal year for quantum computing, with advancements that are set to revolutionize internet technologies. While we are still in the early stages of this technology, the potential applications are vast and exciting. As we continue to explore the possibilities of quantum computing, we can expect to see further breakthroughs that will shape the future of the internet and beyond.

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Quantum Computing in 2019: Revolutionizing Internet Technologies - Fagen wasanni

Hey everyone! I hope you all are doing great. Today, I want to talk about something really cool quantum computing! I know it sounds complex, but trust me, Ill make it simple, just like our favorite mangoes. As an Indian student who loves technology and mangoes, this topic excites me a lot. So, lets dive into the world of quantum computing and explore how its just like our lovely mango trees.

The Tiny Seed: The Foundation of Quantum Computing

You know how a tiny mango seed can grow into a huge tree that gives us delicious mangoes? Well, the same way, quantum computing starts with these tiny things called qubits. They are like the building blocks of quantum computers. And guess what? Just like our mango trees, qubits can exist in different states at once its called superposition. So, they can be 0 and 1 at the same time. Crazy, right?

The Beautiful Blooms: Quantum States and Mango Flowers

Imagine a mango tree covered in colorful blossoms so beautiful! Thats like quantum states in quantum computing. See, these qubits can have different states, like how our mango tree can have different flowers. But, heres the thing quantum computers can do many calculations at once because of these different states. Its like our mango tree producing many mangoes all at the same time!

The Magic Connection: Entangled Mangoes and Quantum Entanglement

Okay, this part is a bit mind-blowing. You know how sometimes mangoes on the same tree seem to be connected, like they feel each other? Thats how quantum entanglement works. When qubits get entangled, they become like BFFs, no matter how far apart they are. If one qubit changes, the other instantly knows and changes too. Super weird, but super cool!

Picking the Fruits: Potential Applications of Quantum Computing

Just like we enjoy the tasty mangoes, quantum computing has some amazing uses too!

a. Keeping Secrets Safe: Quantum cryptography can help keep our information super safe, like a secret recipe for mango pickle!

b. Discovering New Stuff: Quantum computing can speed up finding new medicines, just like finding the juiciest mangoes in the orchard.

c. Sorting Things Out: Its like our mango orchard manager who figures out the best way to arrange mangoes for the market quantum computing can do this with complicated stuff like logistics and finance.

d. Super Smart Computers: Quantum AI can make computers smarter, like how mango farmers use their experience to grow better mangoes!

e. Understanding Climate: Just like our farmers predict the weather for the best mango harvest, quantum computing can help scientists understand climate patterns better.

Facing the Challenges: Like Protecting Our Mango Trees

Of course, nothing is perfect, not even our mango trees. Quantum computing has challenges too, like errors caused by noise, just like when we face harsh weather. But smart people are working hard to fix these issues and make quantum computers more stable.

Conclusion:

So, there you have it quantum computing is like a magical journey through our beloved mango orchards! As an Indian student who loves both technology and mangoes, Im super thrilled about the future of quantum computing. Just like we take care of our mango trees to get the sweetest fruits, we need to support and nurture quantum computing to make it even more awesome. Who knows, one day it might help us do amazing things we never thought possible, just like how our mango trees bring joy to our lives. Until then, keep exploring and keep enjoying the wonders of both quantum computing and our beloved mangoes!

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Quantum Computing: Unraveling the Magic of Computers and ... - Medium

The first half of 2023 has already been an exciting year for quantum technology. Major tech companies like AWS, Google and IBM are continuing to invest in the space, and several countries and municipalities are experimenting with both quantum computing and quantum networking initiatives. Building a quantum network can be extremely resource intensive, combining some of the hardest problems in science and computing, but quantum networking is much closer to commercialization than quantum computing.

There are multiple differences in the requirements for quantum computers versus quantum networks. To start, the number of Qubits required for useful quantum computing range from 10,000 to 1 million, where for quantum networking, you can use as little as one qubit at a time. In addition the source for qubits in quantum computing requires custom semiconductors or ion traps, where quantum networking leverages off-the-shelf lasers. The coherence requirement for quantum computing is thousands of operations, where for quantum networking, its only one operation.

The type of equipment used also differs between quantum computing and quantum networking. For example, quantum computing requires expensive and exotic equipment like million dollar dilution fridges where quantum networking is able to utilize existing optical fiber that is already in the ground. Theres also a misnomer that temperatures must be at absolute zero for all types of quantum networking implementations because of the errors in qubits that heat causes. While quantum computing needs to happen in extremely cold environments, quantum communications can occur at room temperature using standard telecommunications equipment and there is continued progress being made on this front.

Perhaps the most compelling reason that quantum networking is closer to commercialization though is that theres yet to be a compelling commercial use case for existing quantum computers while quantum secure communications (QSC) which leverages entanglement has been demonstrated as a networking use case today. QSC is an effective countermeasure to the looming quantum threat of Q-Day, the time when a quantum computer will be able to crack existing encryption systems.

There have also been several practical implementations of quantum network initiatives including the launch of EPB Quantum Network, the United States first industry-led, commercially available quantum network, proof that quantum technology, particularly quantum networking, is both accessible and can be revenue-generating. EPB is a great example of a quantum network that will operate at room temperature across a metro area.

Quantum networking has the potential to bring on social and technological changes that we cant even imagine at this point, but there are practical uses right now, and the investment required to start is much less involved than the hundreds of millions of dollars needed to invest in quantum computing.

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Quantum Networking Closer to Commercialization Than Quantum ... - The Fast Mode