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Revolutionary Quantum Simulator Breaks Records, Paving the Way for New Materials Discovery

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Quantum Simulation of Qubits

Artist Representation of Qubits in the Quantum Twins Simulator

Silicon Quantum Computing

A groundbreaking large-scale quantum simulator has the potential to unveil the mechanisms of exotic quantum materials and pave the way for their optimization in future applications.

Quantum computers are set to leverage unique quantum phenomena to perform calculations that are currently unmanageable for even the most advanced classical computers. Similarly, quantum simulators can aid researchers in accurately modeling materials and molecules that remain poorly understood.

This holds particularly true for superconductors, which conduct electricity with remarkable efficiency. The efficiency of superconductors arises from quantum effects, making it feasible to implement their properties directly in quantum simulators, unlike classical devices that necessitate extensive mathematical transformations.

Michelle Simmons and her team at Australia’s Silicon Quantum Computing have successfully developed the largest quantum simulator to date, known as Quantum Twin. “The scale and precision we’ve achieved with these simulators empower us to address intriguing challenges,” Simmons states. “We are pioneering new materials by crafting them atom by atom.”

The researchers designed multiple simulators by embedding phosphorus atoms into silicon chips. Each atom acts as a quantum bit (qubit), the fundamental component of quantum computers and simulators. The team meticulously configured the qubits into grids that replicate the atomic arrangement found in real materials. Each iteration of the Quantum Twin consisted of a square grid containing 15,000 qubits, surpassing any previous quantum simulator in scale. While similar configurations have been built using thousands of cryogenic atoms in the past, Quantum Twin breaks new ground.

By integrating electronic components into each chip via a precise patterning process, the researchers managed to control the electron properties within the chips. This emulates the electron behavior within simulated materials, crucial for understanding electrical flow. Researchers can manipulate the ease of adding an electron at specific grid points or the “hop” between two points.

Simmons noted that while conventional computers struggle with large two-dimensional simulations and complex electron property combinations, the Quantum Twin simulator shows significant potential for these scenarios. The team tested the chip by simulating the transition between conductive and insulating states—a critical mathematical model explaining how impurities in materials influence electrical conductivity. Additionally, they recorded the material’s “Hall coefficient” across different temperatures to assess its behavior in magnetic fields.

With its impressive size and variable control, the Quantum Twins simulator is poised to tackle unconventional superconductors. While conventional superconductors function well at low temperatures or under extreme pressure, some can operate under milder conditions. Achieving a deeper understanding of superconductors at ambient temperature and pressure is essential—knowledge that quantum simulators are expected to furnish in the future.

Moreover, Quantum Twins can also facilitate the investigation of interfaces between various metals and polyacetylene-like molecules, holding promise for advancements in drug development and artificial photosynthesis technologies, Simmons highlights.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Next-Gen Quantum Networks: Paving the Way for a Quantum Internet Prototype

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Quantum Internet could provide secure communications globally

Sakumstarke / Alamy

One of the most sophisticated quantum networks constructed to date will enable 18 individuals to communicate securely through the principles of quantum physics. The researchers affirm that this represents a feasible step towards realizing a global quantum internet, although some experts express doubt.

The eagerly awaited quantum internet aims to allow quantum computers to communicate over distances by exchanging light particles, known as photons, that are interconnected through quantum entanglement. Additionally, it will facilitate the linkage of quantum sensor networks, enabling communications impervious to classical computer hacking. However, connecting different segments of the quantum realm is not as straightforward as laying down cables due to the challenges in ensuring seamless interactions between network nodes.

Recently, Chen Shenfeng from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China demonstrated a method to interconnect two quantum networks. Initially, they established two networks containing 10 nodes each, both sharing quantum entanglement and functioning as smaller iterations of a quantum internet. They then combined one node from each network, resulting in a larger, fully integrated network that enables communication across all pairs of the 18 remaining nodes.

Networking 18 classical computers is a straightforward endeavor involving inexpensive components, but in the quantum sphere, where specific timing is crucial for sharing individual photons among several users, advanced technology and specialized knowledge are required. Even establishing communication between pairs is intricate, yet facilitating communication among any pair of 18 users is unprecedented.

“Our method provides essential capabilities for quantum communication across disparate networks and is pivotal for creating a large-scale quantum internet that enables interactions among all participants,” the researchers stated in their paper, which has not responded to inquiries for comments.

As the researchers clarify, this network integration hinges on a process termed entanglement swapping. Photons can be intertwined by conducting a specific observation known as the Bell measurement. By simultaneously measuring the status of one photon from each of two pairs of entangled photons, the most distant photons in the arrangement become linked. However, attempting to observe their states disrupts the delicate quantum balance and thus depletes the measured photon states.

“This isn’t the initial demonstration of entanglement exchange,” remarks Sidharth Joshi from the University of Bristol, UK. “What they have achieved is a framework that simplifies inter-network exchanges.”

Joshi notes that current quantum communication research is divided between extending the range of information transmission between two devices, occasionally utilizing satellites, and developing protocols and strategies for reliably networking numerous devices over shorter distances. This study pertains to the latter. “Both areas are critically important,” he asserts.

Conversely, Robert Young, a professor at Lancaster University in the UK, commented that while the results showcase a remarkable technical feat demanding expertise and extensive resources, he deems it improbable as a blueprint for future large-scale quantum networks, considering the expense and intricacy involved.

“This is far from practical and not something readily applicable in real-world scenarios,” Young states. “The paper’s claim is that this is the future of quantum network integration, but many formidable challenges remain to be addressed.”

One significant issue is the necessity for quantum repeaters to convey information across extensive distances. As distance increases, photons are frequently lost in fiber optic cables, and measurements can jeopardize the state of a photon, rendering the quantum information unreadable or untransmittable, thereby preventing signal amplification along its route. If quantum repeaters functioned effectively, they could transmit signals over longer distances, yet constructing such devices has been challenging.

“We understand that to build a viable quantum network, some method of quantum repeater is essential,” Young points out, emphasizing that this was absent in the current network demonstration.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

A New Perspective on Oral Healing: Paving the Way to a “Woundless World”

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Fibroblast cells that play a role in forming connective tissue and are also involved in scarring

Dr. Torsten Wittmann/Science Photography Library

Recent discoveries about how mouth injuries heal without bruising could lead to treatment methods that prevent permanent scars and improve skin appearance.

“Millions of individuals experience injuries, surgeries, burns, and various other traumas,” states Ophir Klein from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. “This represents a significant issue not only in cosmetic terms but also functional terms,” he adds. For instance, he mentions that a major wound can restrict leg movement due to skin tightening.

To explore this, Klein and his team took advantage of the fact that mouth wounds heal without scarring. “Injuries inside the mouth heal more quickly and with fewer scars compared to skin injuries,” he explains.

Upon investigation, the researchers created 2.5mm wide wounds both in the mouth and on the face of mice. They collected tissue samples as these wounds healed over the course of a week.

The team analyzed cells known as fibroblasts that are associated with scarring and discovered that fibroblasts in the mouth exhibited higher activity levels for genes encoding proteins such as Gas6 and Axl than those in the skin. These proteins are known to promote cell growth, migration, and survival.

The Gas6-Axl pathway seemed to inhibit the levels of a protein called FAK, which is involved in depositing proteins on wounds, leading to scar formation. “We were aware of this pathway’s existence, but its role in non-scarring wound healing was unknown,” Klein notes.

The next step for the researchers was to assess whether enhancing the Gas6-Axl pathway could minimize skin scarring. They administered a solution containing Gas6 to freshly created facial scars on mice. After two weeks, these treated wounds exhibited reduced FAK levels and fewer scars compared to those in untreated mice. “They have successfully shown that stimulating this pathway can diminish scarring,” says Jason Wong at the University of Manchester, UK.

“This is certainly a significant step towards what could be a scar-free future,” states Ines Sequeira from Queen Mary University in London. However, he cautions that further research is needed with larger animals like pigs, which have skin more similar to humans, before moving towards human trials.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

India is Paving the Way for Solar Panel Production for Itself and the World.

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China, a leader in clean energy innovation, is encountering competition right next door. One of its key clients is none other than India.

India, a significant purchaser of solar panels and electric vehicle batteries from China, is leveraging substantial government incentives to produce greener technology domestically. The country is motivated not only by the soaring energy needs of its 1.4 billion population but also by the desire to diversify away from US dependency, particularly toward nations aiming to resist China’s influence.

Despite its ambitions, India is still a relatively minor and latecomer to the scene. In the past year, India manufactured about 80 gigawatts of solar modules, while China produced over ten times that amount. The nation remains heavily reliant on coal, the most polluting fossil fuel, which constitutes its primary energy source, with plans to increase coal mining for further production.

Nevertheless, India is proactively looking to take advantage of the global shift towards renewable energy and the pushback against China’s dominance in new energy technologies.

The Indian government is providing attractive subsidies for domestic solar cells and battery manufacturing, imposing restrictions on foreign products linked to the largest renewable energy initiatives, all aimed at igniting a boom in clean energy production. For instance, by the end of the decade, companies will be required to manufacture panels locally in order to qualify for government contracts for rooftop solar installations covering 27 million households.

New Delhi has multiple objectives—social, economic, and geopolitical. With China as a formidable competitor, having previously clashed over border disputes, India’s drive to establish factories for solar energy, wind, and electric vehicles is partly motivated by the need for a secure energy supply chain. Simultaneously, India aims to generate well-paying manufacturing jobs.

However, India faces a common conundrum shared by many nations: whether to procure renewable energy technology inexpensively from China or to invest more in domestic production.

“From a strategic standpoint, manufacturing capabilities are essential to ensure energy independence,” remarked Sudeep Jain, additional secretary of India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. “Currently, cost is a major factor.”

Source: www.nytimes.com