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"Quantum memory 'world record' smashed"

Started by entropy, November 15, 2013, 10:56:34 AM

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entropy

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24934786

QuoteA fragile quantum memory state has been held stable at room temperature for a "world record" 39 minutes - overcoming a key barrier to ultrafast computers.

"Qubits" of information encoded in a silicon system persisted for almost 100 times longer than ever before.

Quantum systems are notoriously fickle to measure and manipulate, but if harnessed could transform computing.

The new benchmark was set by an international team led by Mike Thewalt of Simon Fraser University, Canada.

"39 minutes may not seem very long. But these lifetimes are many times longer than previous experiments"

"This opens the possibility of truly long-term storage of quantum information at room temperature," said Prof Thewalt, whose achievement is detailed in the journal Science.

In conventional computers, "bits" of data are stored as a string of 1s and 0s.

But in a quantum system, "qubits" are stored in a so-called "superposition state" in which they can be both 1s and 0 at the same time - enabling them to perform multiple calculations simultaneously.

The trouble with qubits is their instability - typical devices "forget" their memories in less than a second.

There is no Guinness Book of quantum records. But unofficially, the previous best for a solid state system was 25 seconds at room temperature, or three minutes under cryogenic conditions.

In this new experiment, scientists encoded information into the nuclei of phosphorus atoms held in a sliver of purified silicon.

Magnetic field pulses were used to tilt the spin of the nuclei and create superposition states - the qubits of memory.

The team prepared the sample at -269C, close to absolute zero - the lowest temperature possible.
Artist's impression of a phosphorus atom qubit in silicon, showing a ticking clock

When they raised the system to room temperature (just above 25C) the superposition states survived for 39 minutes.


Still a long ways to go to get a practical quantum computer working, but it's good to see good progress being made.

Solitary

"We haven't seen anything yet", my son an electronic engineer says. The field of quantum mechanics and Nano Technology is just the beginning. Look how far light emitting diodes have came in a short time. Graphene will change everything when it can be produced cheaply. Science save lives, religion makes fanatics that fly planes into buildings and blowup abortion clinics and buildings.  :roll:  Solitary
There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.