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Category: quantum physics – Page 53

A new method to measure ultrafast relaxation processes in single molecules

Quantum stochastic rectification is a process observed in some physical systems, which entails the conversion of random quantum fluctuations (i.e., quantum noise) and a small oscillating signal, such as a weak alternating current or AC voltage, into a steady output (e.g., a direct current, or DC). This quantum effect has been previously reported in magnetic tunnel junctions that are driven by both quantum mechanics and randomness (i.e., stochastic processes).

Researchers at the University of California–Irvine recently showed that the quantum stochastic rectification observed in individual molecules can be leveraged to study their intrinsic relaxation dynamics. Their approach, outlined in a paper published in Physical Review Letters, could inform the future study of molecular dynamics and advance the measurement of rapid processes that take place in single molecules at the atomic scale.

“A few years ago, I served on a Ph.D. Advancement committee and the graduate student discussed his thesis research involving in nm-scale magnetic tunnel junctions,” Wilson Ho, senior author of the paper, told Phys.org. “The signal in his experiment was affected by the thermal noise and showed a transition when the driving frequency was varied.

Entangled Atomic Clock Experiment Could Finally Provide Hints At A Theory Of Everything

A new experiment involving a network of entangled atomic clocks could finally help us test how quantum mechanics fits with general relativity.

Quantum mechanics is our best understanding of the universe at atomic and subatomic scales. With it, we have revolutionized our understanding of physics on teeny tiny scales. General relativity – first outlined by Albert Einstein in 1915 – meanwhile, is our best understanding of gravity. According to the theory, which has so far passed every test we have thrown at it, gravity is not a force but the result of the curvature of spacetime around matter.

“It Sounds Impossible, but They Did It”: Students Use Quantum Entanglement to Power 3D Holograms, Stun Global Tech Community

IN A NUTSHELL 🚀 Brown University students developed a novel imaging technique using quantum entanglement to capture 3D images. 🔬 The method employs infrared light for illumination and visible light for imaging, enhancing depth resolution without costly infrared cameras. 🧪 The team solved the issue of phase wrapping by using two sets of entangled photons.

The Uncertainty Principle

Quantum mechanics is generally regarded as the physical theory that is our best candidate for a fundamental and universal description of the physical world. The conceptual framework employed by this theory differs drastically from that of classical physics. Indeed, the transition from classical to quantum physics marks a genuine revolution in our understanding of the physical world.

One striking aspect of the difference between classical and quantum physics is that whereas classical mechanics presupposes that exact simultaneous values can be assigned to all physical quantities, quantum mechanics denies this possibility, the prime example being the position and momentum of a particle. According to quantum mechanics, the more precisely the position (momentum) of a particle is given, the less precisely can one say what its momentum (position) is. This is (a simplistic and preliminary formulation of) the quantum mechanical uncertainty principle for position and momentum. The uncertainty principle played an important role in many discussions on the philosophical implications of quantum mechanics, in particular in discussions on the consistency of the so-called Copenhagen interpretation, the interpretation endorsed by the founding fathers Heisenberg and Bohr.

This should not suggest that the uncertainty principle is the only aspect of the conceptual difference between classical and quantum physics: the implications of quantum mechanics for notions as (non)-locality, entanglement and identity play no less havoc with classical intuitions.

In a first, transmon qubit achieves a coherence time of one millisecond

A team of researchers in Finland has set a new world record for how long a quantum bit, known as a qubit, can hold onto its information.

They have pushed the coherence time of a superconducting transmon qubit to a full millisecond at best, with a median time of half a millisecond. That might sound brief, but in the world of quantum computing, it’s a massive improvement that could change the game.

Longer coherence times mean qubits can run more operations and quantum computers can perform more calculations before errors start to appear.

Harvard’s ultra-thin chip could revolutionize quantum computing

Researchers at Harvard have created a groundbreaking metasurface that can replace bulky and complex optical components used in quantum computing with a single, ultra-thin, nanostructured layer. This innovation could make quantum networks far more scalable, stable, and compact. By harnessing the power of graph theory, the team simplified the design of these quantum metasurfaces, enabling them to generate entangled photons and perform sophisticated quantum operations — all on a chip thinner than a human hair. It's a radical leap forward for room-temperature quantum technology and photonics.

New theory unifies quantum and relativistic effects in electron spin-lattice interactions

“God does not play dice.” This famous remark by Albert Einstein critiqued the probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics. Paradoxically, his theory of relativity has become an essential tool for understanding the behavior of electrons, the primary subjects of quantum mechanics.

Electrons are so minuscule that their behavior must be analyzed through quantum mechanics, yet they also move at speeds that require relativistic considerations. Due to the fundamentally different starting points of these two theories, achieving a unified, consistent description has posed significant challenges.

Now, a groundbreaking study published in Physical Review Letters offers a novel approach that bridges this divide, potentially reshaping the way we understand electron dynamics in solids.

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