"Distance atoms' quantum link formed via phone call-like connection"
In a remarkable breakthrough, researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have successfully made atomic nuclei communicate with each other at the scale of standard silicon devices. This significant achievement, published in the prestigious journal Science, could potentially unlock the potential to build the future microchips needed for quantum computing using existing technology and manufacturing processes.
Dr. Holly Stemp, the lead author of the study, explained that they have succeeded in making the cleanest, most isolated quantum objects - electrons - interact with each other, enabling nuclei to communicate through this interaction. Electrons, in this analogy, can 'touch' each other at quite some distance, a phenomenon that allows the nuclei to communicate through this interaction.
The study focuses on a nuclear two-qubit gate, which is mediated by the exchange interaction between separate electrons. The researchers successfully demonstrated a two-qubit controlled-Z logic operation between the nuclei of two phosphorus atoms in a silicon device, separated by up to 20 nanometers.
Mark van Blankenstein, another author on the paper, further elaborated on this breakthrough. He said that due to their ability to spread out in space, two electrons can 'touch' each other at quite some distance, making it possible for nuclei to communicate even if they are far apart.
The quantum entangled state, a physics phenomenon where two separate particles become so deeply linked that they no longer behave independently, was prepared and measured in the study. The nuclear Bell state had a fidelity of 76-5+5% and a concurrence of 0.67-0.05+0.05.
Dr. Stemp highlighted that until now, nuclei were like people placed in a soundproof room, meaning they could only communicate with each other if they were all in the same room, and the conversations were clear but limited in scope. With this breakthrough, nuclei can now communicate even if they are far apart.
The company behind the development of quantum entangled states between two atomic nuclei in silicon is Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC). Dr. Stemp, who conducted this research at UNSW and is now a postdoctoral researcher at MIT in Boston, said that quantum physics tells us that an electron has the ability to 'spread out' in space, so that it can interact with multiple atomic nuclei.
The researchers pointed out that the method is remarkably robust and scalable. They can add more electrons and force them in an elongated shape to spread out the nuclei even further. Future progress in scaling up semiconductor spin qubits can be extended to the development of nuclear spin-based quantum computers.
This breakthrough marks a significant step towards the realization of quantum computing using existing technology and manufacturing processes, potentially revolutionizing the way we process and store information.
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