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Tag: Quantentechnologie

  • Molecular light chain opens up paths for quantum technologies

    Molecular light chain opens up paths for quantum technologies

    Porphyrins are central building blocks of nature. They form the basis for haemoglobin in the blood or chlorophyll in plants. In combination with metal centers, they acquire versatile chemical and physical properties. Empa researchers have now used this principle to specifically dock porphyrins to a graphene nanoribbon with zigzag edges. The binding was carried out with the utmost precision and forms a kind of molecular chain with precisely defined distances.

    Magnetism meets quantum logic
    The graphene ribbon has its own edge magnetism, while the metal centers of the porphyrins contribute conventional magnetism. Both systems have been successfully coupled, a decisive step for quantum technological applications. The hybrid material could function as a series of networked qubits in which spins are used as information carriers.

    Electronics and optics in one system
    The porphyrins are not only magnetically active, but also optically effective. They can emit light, the wavelength of which is influenced by the magnetic state. A kind of molecular light chain that transmits information through color changes. Conversely, the system can be excited by light, which changes the conductivity and magnetism of the graphene ribbon. This opens up a wide range of applications from chemical sensors to innovative electronic components.

    Building blocks for the future
    The synthesis of these structures requires complex processes. Under ultra-high vacuum and at high temperatures, the precisely designed starting molecules are “baked” on a gold surface to form the chains. Supported by the Werner Siemens Foundation, the Empa team is now working on developing even more versatile systems by varying the metal centers and graphene widths. The aim is to create designer materials that form the basis for future quantum technologies.

    The combination of porphyrins and graphene opens up a new class of molecular systems. It combines chemistry, magnetism and optics in nanoscale structures and lays the foundation for the electronics and quantum technology of tomorrow.

  • Light controls electricity in metals

    Light controls electricity in metals

    A team of researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities has achieved a significant breakthrough. They have developed a method that uses light to influence the flow of electricity in extremely thin metal layers at room temperature. This new approach could help to make optical sensors and quantum information devices significantly more efficient in the future. The scientists’ interim results were recently published in the renowned journal “Science Advances”.

    The study is based on ultra-thin layers of ruthenium dioxide (RuO2), which were applied to titanium dioxide (TiO2). Depending on the direction, these layers not only react differently to light, but also to the flow of electricity. The structure of these layers makes it possible to specifically control the dynamics of the electrons and thus regulate energy flows.

    New paths through targeted use of light
    A key finding of the researchers is that the reactions of the material to light can be precisely influenced by targeted changes in the atomic structure. This controlled effect occurs at normal temperatures and opens up exciting prospects for future applications. “This is the first time anyone has demonstrated tunable, directed ultrafast carrier relaxation in a metal at room temperature,” confirms Seunggyo Jeong, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Minnesota.

    Such findings challenge many ideas about the behavior of metals of recent years and prove that the targeted control of electricity through controlled light pulses is possible. This opens up completely new approaches to dealing with energy and information processing in the smallest of spaces.

    Controlling electricity in detail
    The previous consensus in physics considered metals to be unsuitable for such precise control mechanisms because they have too complex electronic properties. However, the current research team discovered that precisely this complexity, known as band interleaving, can be actively used to steer the ultra-fast response of metals in different directions. This means that the material’s ability to control electricity can be adapted depending on the situation.

    New applications in computer technology, data storage, sensor technology and communication could benefit massively from this. The efficiency and speed of components in particular could be significantly improved through the targeted control of electricity. Tony Low, co-author and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Minnesota, emphasizes that the results provide deep insights into how subtle structural distortions can change the electronic structure of metals. This could be crucial for future ultrafast and polarization-sensitive optoelectronic technologies.

  • Breakthrough in quantum computing technology

    Breakthrough in quantum computing technology

    Quantum computers could fundamentally change our understanding of problem solving and calculations in the near future. However, the technology still faces a crucial hurdle – the error-proneness of quantum bits, which are the central building blocks of quantum computers. Google has now reached a significant milestone with its latest success in quantum error correction.

    Researchers at Google’s Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab have managed to combine 97 error-prone quantum bits into one logical quantum bit that has a significantly lower error rate. This is an important step on the way to error-tolerant quantum computers that could perform complex calculations in the future.

    Challenges of quantum error correction
    The biggest challenge for quantum computers is the high probability of errors during computing operations. In current systems, the probability of error is between 0.01 and 1 per cent, depending on the operation. As quantum computers potentially require thousands of calculation steps, this means that the possibility of errors increases exponentially. Without effective error correction, the advantages of quantum computers would be almost impossible to utilise in practice.

    The Google researchers developed a method in which quantum information is distributed across several quantum bits. Measurement bits ensure the stability of the states without directly changing the information. This redundant approach, which is also used in classical computers, led to the formation of a more robust logical quantum bit.

    A decisive advance – but not yet the goal
    Google was able to achieve a critical error threshold by reducing the error rate of a 97-qubit quantum bit system to half that of a 49-qubit system. This progress is highly rated by experts and can be compared to the groundbreaking results of 2019, when Google demonstrated for the first time that quantum computers can outperform conventional computers in certain tasks.

    Despite this promising development, quantum research still faces huge challenges. The next step is to perform basic computing operations with the stabilised logical quantum bits. In the long term, these stable bits will be used to enable complex and fault-tolerant calculations.

    Fault-tolerant quantum computers and their application
    Although the progress made so far is impressive, there is still a long way to go before quantum computers are able to solve really complicated problems. It is estimated that around 1457 physical quantum bits are needed to achieve an error rate of 1 in 1,000,000 – a minimum requirement for solving simple problems.

    For complex challenges such as breaking modern encryption methods, even thousands of logical quantum bits are required. Therefore, further progress in quantum error correction and more efficient algorithms are urgently needed to reduce the required number of physical quantum bits.

    A clear path ahead
    The current results from Google and other research groups form a solid basis for the development of the quantum computers of the future. While many technical hurdles remain, recent advances are making the goal of a powerful, fault-tolerant quantum computer more tangible. Whether and how the technology will become established in practice remains to be seen, but the outlook is now clearer than ever before.