Vortex Power: The Swirl of Light Revolutionizing Quantum Computing – SciTechDaily
A novel vortex phenomenon involving photon interactions was identified by scientists, potentially enhancing quantum computing. Through experiments with dense rubidium gas, they observed unique phase shifts that mimic other vortices but are distinct in their quantum implications. Credit: SciTechDaily.com
Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science discovered a new type of vortex formed by photon interactions, which could advance quantum computing.
Vortices are a widespread natural phenomenon, observable in the swirling formations of galaxies, tornadoes, and hurricanes, as well as in simpler settings like a stirring cup of tea or the water spiraling down a bathtub drain. Typically, vortices arise when a rapidly moving substance such as air or water meets a slower-moving area, creating a circular motion around a fixed axis. Essentially, vortices serve to reconcile the differences in flow speeds between adjoining regions.
A vortex ring and lines created by the influence of three photons on one another. The color describes the phase of the electric field, which completes a 360-degree rotation around the vortex core. Credit: Weizmann Institute of Science
A previously unknown type of vortex has now been discovered in a study, published in Science, conducted by Dr. Lee Drori, Dr. Bankim Chandra Das, Tomer Danino Zohar, and Dr. Gal Winer from Prof. Ofer Firstenbergs laboratory at the Weizmann Institute of Sciences Physics of Complex Systems Department. The researchers set out to look for an efficient way of using photons to process data in quantum computers and found something unexpected: They realized that in the rare event that two photons interact, they create vortices. Not only does this discovery add to the fundamental understanding of vortices, it may ultimately contribute to the studys original goal of improving data processing in quantum computing.
The interaction between photons light particles that also behave like waves is only possible in the presence of matter that serves as an intermediary. In their experiment, the researchers forced photons to interact by creating a unique environment: a 10-centimeter glass cell that was completely empty, save for rubidium atoms that were so tightly packed in the center of the container that they formed a small, dense gas cloud about 1 millimeter long. The researchers fired more and more photons through this cloud, examined their state after they had passed through it, and looked to see if they had influenced one another in any way.
When the gas cloud was at its densest and the photons were close to each other, they exerted the highest level of mutual influence.
When the photons pass through the dense gas cloud, they send a number of atoms into electronically excited states known as Rydberg states, Firstenberg explains. In these states, one of the electrons in the atom starts moving in an orbit that is 1,000 times wider than the diameter of an unexcited atom. This electron creates an electric field that influences a huge number of adjacent atoms, turning them into a kind of imaginary glass ball.
The image of a glass ball reflects the fact that the second photon present in the area cannot ignore the environment the first photon has created and, in response, it alters its speed as if it has passed through glass. So, when two photons pass relatively close to each other, they move at a different speed than they would have if each had been traveling alone. And when the speed of the photon changes, so does the position of the peaks and valleys of the wave it carries. In the optimal case for the use of photons in quantum computing, the positions of the peaks and valleys become completely inverted relative to one another, owing to the influence the photons have on each other a phenomenon known as a 180-degree phase shift.
From bottom left, clockwise: Dr. Lee Drori, Tomer Danino Zohar, Dr. Alexander Poddubny, Prof. Ofer Firstenberg, Dr. Gal Winer, Dr. Eilon Poem and Dr. Bankim Chandra Das. Credit: Weizmann Institute of Science
The direction that the research took was as unique and extraordinary as the paths of the photons in the gas cloud. The study, which also included Dr. Eilon Poem and Dr. Alexander Poddubny, began eight years ago and has seen two generations of doctoral students pass through Firstenbergs laboratory.
Over time, the Weizmann scientists managed to create a dense, ultracold gas cloud, packed with atoms. As a result, they achieved something unprecedented: photons that underwent a phase shift of 180-degrees and sometimes more. When the gas cloud was at its densest and the photons were close to each other, they exerted the highest level of mutual influence. But when the photons moved away from each other or the atomic density around them dropped, the phase shift weakened and disappeared.
The prevalent assumption was that this weakening would be a gradual process, but researchers were in for a surprise: A pair of vortices developed when two photons were a certain distance apart. In each of these vortices, the photons completed a 360-degree phase shift and, at their center there were almost no photons at all just as in the dark center we know from other vortices.
The scientists found that the presence of a single photon affected 50,000 atoms, which in turn influenced the motion of a second photon.
To understand photon vortices, think of what happens when you drag a vertically held plate through the water. The rapid movement of the water pushed by the plate meets the slower movement around it. This creates two vortices that, when viewed from above, appear to be moving together along the waters surface, but in fact, they are part of a three-dimensional configuration known as a vortex ring: The submerged part of the plate creates half a ring, which connects the two vortices visible on the surface, forcing them to move together.
Another familiar instance of vortex rings is smoke rings. In the last stages of the study, the researchers observed this phenomenon when they introduced a third photon, which added an extra dimension to the findings: The scientists discovered that the two vortices observed when measuring two photons are part of a three-dimensional vortex ring generated by the mutual influence of the three photons. These findings demonstrate just how similar the newly discovered vortices are to those known from other environments.
The vortices may have stolen the show in this study, but the researchers are continuing to work toward their goal of quantum data processing. The next stage of the study will be to fire the photons into each other and measure the phase shift of each photon separately. Depending on the strength of the phase shifts, the photons could be used as qubits the basic units of information in quantum computing. Unlike the units of regular computer memory, which can either be 0 or 1, quantum bits can represent a range of values between 0 and 1 simultaneously.
Reference: Quantum vortices of strongly interacting photons by Lee Drori, Bankim Chandra Das, Tomer Danino Zohar, Gal Winer, Eilon Poem, Alexander Poddubny and Ofer Firstenberg, 13 July 2023,Science. DOI: 10.1126/science.adh5315
Prof. Ofer Firstenbergs research is supported by the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, the Shimon and Golde Picker Weizmann Annual Grant and the Laboratory in Memory of Leon and Blacky Broder, Switzerland.
Read the original post:
Vortex Power: The Swirl of Light Revolutionizing Quantum Computing - SciTechDaily
- Quantum and AI: Navigating the Resource Challenge - HPCwire - September 19th, 2024 [September 19th, 2024]
- IBM Advances Quantum Dev With More Performance And Qiskit Functions - Forbes - September 19th, 2024 [September 19th, 2024]
- Oxford Ionics and Infineon win to deliver portable quantum computer - Scientific Computing World - September 19th, 2024 [September 19th, 2024]
- Ion-Trap Quantum Computer Ready For Novel Research And Development at The LRZ - The Quantum Insider - September 19th, 2024 [September 19th, 2024]
- Fantastical or Abstract, Googles Quantum AI Lab Propelling the Mission of Quantum - The Quantum Insider - September 19th, 2024 [September 19th, 2024]
- Germany Awards Contract to Quantum Brilliance and ParityQC to Build Worlds First Mobile Quantum Computer by - EIN News - September 19th, 2024 [September 19th, 2024]
- Quantum Brilliance and ParityQC to lead devt of mobile quantum computer - Australian Manufacturing - September 19th, 2024 [September 19th, 2024]
- Extraordinary New Phase of Matter Discovered: Freezing Time With Cambridges 2D Marvel - SciTechDaily - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- Moth aims to bring quantum technology to gaming - VentureBeat - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- Microsoft announces the best performing logical qubits on record and will provide priority access to reliable quantum hardware in Azure Quantum -... - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- How Innovative Is China in Quantum? - Information Technology and Innovation Foundation - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- Hudson Forum 2024: The future of science - IBM Research - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- UMD Touts Expertise, Announces New Investments and Expanded Partnership in Quantum - UMD Right Now - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- IonQ Presents Winning Paper on Quantum Networking at IEEE Quantum Week - Business Wire - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- IonQ Presents Winning Paper on Quantum Networking at IEEE Quantum Week - StockTitan - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- The impossible invention, about to take down the Internet worldwide: Not even Einstein could understand it - ECOticias - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- Quantum Source raises $50 million for quantum solutions - LightWave Online - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- Aliro expands relationship with Air Force for quantum networking - Fierce Network - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- Quantinuums Nash Palaniswamy on Quantum Computings Journey to Real-World Applications - The Quantum Insider - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- Just Three Things: The Keys To Scaling Quantum Startups? - Forbes - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- Developed Proprietary Quantum Error Correction Tec | Newswise - Newswise - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- Can topology help transmit and process quantum information? - Laser Focus World - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- Microsoft and Atom Computing Partner to Bring New Generation of Reliable Quantum Hardware to Customers - IndianWeb2.com - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- IonQ Achieves Industry Breakthrough First Trapped Ion Quantum System to Surpass 99.9% Fidelity on Barium - Yahoo Finance - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- Initiatives to Remedy the UKs Deficit in Tech Skills and Knowledge as Quantum Computing Looms Large Over Financial Services - International Banker - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- Microsoft and Atom Computing will team up to make the world's most powerful quantum computer - Neowin - September 12th, 2024 [September 12th, 2024]
- US unveils new tools to withstand encryption-breaking quantum. Here's what experts are saying - World Economic Forum - August 27th, 2024 [August 27th, 2024]
- Quantum-Powered AI Knocking on the Enterprise Business Door - PYMNTS.com - August 27th, 2024 [August 27th, 2024]
- What Is Quantum Supremacy And Does it Matter? Quantum Experts Weigh In - The Quantum Insider - August 27th, 2024 [August 27th, 2024]
- Probe flagged for Labors $1b showcase quantum computing deal - The Age - August 27th, 2024 [August 27th, 2024]
- Securing the quantum future: The imperative for global collaboration - Middle East Institute - August 27th, 2024 [August 27th, 2024]
- IonQ Takes the Stage at Quantum World Congress 2024 - Business Wire - August 27th, 2024 [August 27th, 2024]
- IonQ Takes the Stage at Quantum World Congress 2024 - StockTitan - August 27th, 2024 [August 27th, 2024]
- NIST Hands Off Post-Quantum Cryptography Work to Cyber Teams - IoT World Today - August 27th, 2024 [August 27th, 2024]
- PsiQuantum Is Closing In On Fault-Tolerance And A Million Qubits - Forbes - August 27th, 2024 [August 27th, 2024]
- Los Alamos team cracks the code on the bane of quantum machine learning algorithms - Discover LANL - August 27th, 2024 [August 27th, 2024]
- Scientists hope a new take on superconductivity could spark more advances in the field - Advanced Science News - August 27th, 2024 [August 27th, 2024]
- PhD student who dreamed of being an inventor and builder is now making strides in world of quantum photonics - Purdue University - August 27th, 2024 [August 27th, 2024]
- NIST Unveils New IBM-Developed Algorithms to Protect Data from Quantum Attacks - HSToday - August 27th, 2024 [August 27th, 2024]
- Korean firm to launch countrys 1st quantum computer by year-end - - August 27th, 2024 [August 27th, 2024]
- India Nears Its Quantum Moment Completion of First Quantum Computer Expected Soon - The Quantum Insider - August 27th, 2024 [August 27th, 2024]
- Quantum Computers Will Kill Digital Security. These Algorithms Could Stop Them. - Singularity Hub - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- IonQ: Unproven Leader In A Uncertain Area Of Computing (IONQ) - Seeking Alpha - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- In landmark for post-quantum encryption, NIST releases three algorithms - The Record from Recorded Future News - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- Quantum computing will break existing encryption algorithms, so the US government developed stronger ones - BGR - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- ITQAN & QuEra Join Forces to Position the UAE as a Quantum Technology Leader - The Quantum Insider - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- NIST Officially Announces Release of First 3 Finalized Post-Quantum Encryption Standards -- Plus Quantum Community Reaction - The Quantum Insider - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- NIST introduces first post-quantum encryption standards to secure future digital information - Security and Spyware News - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- NIST releases first encryption tools to resist quantum computing - BleepingComputer - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- Stony Brook Leads New Program Designed to Further Build and Test Quantum Networks - Stony Brook News - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- What Are the Hottest Quantum Computing Stocks Right Now? 3 Top Picks. - InvestorPlace - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- NIST approves three cryptographic algorithms capable of withstanding quantum computers - SDTimes.com - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- Quantum Computing Protection Arrives, Before the Attacks? - SC Media UK - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- The first set of standards for post-quantum cryptography have been published here's what it means for you - TechRadar - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- Quantum Computing: Why Experts Say the Future is Arriving Faster Than Expected - Blockonomi - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- Quantum Computing Market Set to Grow 25x in 10 Years - IoT World Today - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- Post-Quantum Cryptography Standards Officially Announced by NIST a History and Explanation - SecurityWeek - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- Study unveils limits on the extent to which quantum errors can be 'undone' in large systems - Phys.org - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- IQM Quantum Computers Achieves Technological Milestones With 99.9% 2-Qubit Gate Fidelity And 1 Millisecond Coherence Time - The Quantum Insider - July 15th, 2024 [July 15th, 2024]
- Think big: Computer the size of Suncorp Stadium to take shape near airport - Brisbane Times - July 15th, 2024 [July 15th, 2024]
- Why every quantum computer will need a powerful classical computer - Ars Technica - July 15th, 2024 [July 15th, 2024]
- New quantum computer smashes 'quantum supremacy' record by a factor of 100 and it consumes 30,000 times less power - Livescience.com - July 15th, 2024 [July 15th, 2024]
- Quantum Computings Next Frontier, A Conversation with Jeremy OBrien - The Quantum Insider - July 15th, 2024 [July 15th, 2024]
- IQM Quantum Computers Advances Quantum Processor Quality with New Benchmarks - HPCwire - July 15th, 2024 [July 15th, 2024]
- Northeastern professor achieves major breakthrough in the manufacture of quantum computing components - Northeastern University - July 15th, 2024 [July 15th, 2024]
- Realization of higher-order topological lattices on a quantum computer - Nature.com - July 15th, 2024 [July 15th, 2024]
- Push-Button Entanglement: Scientists Achieve Reliable Quantum Entanglement Between Resting and Flying Qubits - The Quantum Insider - July 15th, 2024 [July 15th, 2024]
- New quantum chip 'can be produced at scale in standard fab' - evertiq.com - July 15th, 2024 [July 15th, 2024]
- Worlds highest performing quantum chip unveiled by Oxford Ionics - Interesting Engineering - July 15th, 2024 [July 15th, 2024]
- Quantum Computing Accelerates Drug Discovery from Years to Weeks - The Quantum Insider - July 15th, 2024 [July 15th, 2024]
- Simulating the universes most extreme environments with utility-scale quantum computation - IBM - July 15th, 2024 [July 15th, 2024]
- How a Chinese team used quantum tech to follow electrons on the superconductor trail - South China Morning Post - July 15th, 2024 [July 15th, 2024]
- EDF, Alice & Bob, Quandela, and CNRS team up to enhance quantum computing efficiency - Research & Development World - July 15th, 2024 [July 15th, 2024]
- NIST will fire the starting gun in the race to quantum encryption - Nextgov/FCW - July 15th, 2024 [July 15th, 2024]
- Quantum Computing is Becoming More Accessible as Costs Drop & Cloud Access Expands Dr. Mark Jackson - The Quantum Insider - July 6th, 2024 [July 6th, 2024]
- Register to host an event at Qiskit Fall Fest 2024! - IBM - July 6th, 2024 [July 6th, 2024]
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Believes Quantum Computing Poised to Revolutionize Healthcare & Drug Discovery - The Quantum Insider - July 6th, 2024 [July 6th, 2024]
- Fujitsu and ANU to bring world-class quantum computing to Australia - Fujitsu - July 6th, 2024 [July 6th, 2024]
- Time Crystals Could be the Circuit Boards of Future Quantum Computers - The Debrief - July 6th, 2024 [July 6th, 2024]
- 3 Quantum Computing Stocks That Could Make Your Grandchildren Rich - InvestorPlace - July 6th, 2024 [July 6th, 2024]