Quantum technology

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Icon tools.svg
This article was registered in the quality assurance of the physics editorial team . If you are familiar with the topic, you are welcome to participate in the review and possible improvement of the article. The exchange of views about this is currently not taking place on the article discussion page , but on the quality assurance side of physics.

Quantum technology is a relatively new area of engineering in which specific properties and degrees of freedom of quantum mechanics are exploited. These include, for example, discrete energy levels , state superposition , quantum entanglement or the tunnel effect . The technologies developed or still to be developed here are described using terms such as quantum informatics and quantum computers , quantum sensors and metrology , quantum cryptography and communication, and quantum simulation .

Sub-areas of quantum technology

The integration given here is largely analogous to the grouping of pillars in the FET flagship program for quantum technology of the European Union.

Sensors

Quantum mechanical superposition states can be very sensitive to a number of external measurands , such as electrical , magnetic and gravitational fields , rotation, acceleration and time, and are therefore possible candidates for very precise sensors . There are not only numerous laboratory demonstrators such as gravimeters based on atomic interferometers . There are also efforts to significantly improve the performance of existing sensors, for example with optical grid clocks . It is believed that economic breakthroughs can be achieved in several markets, e.g. B. in medical technology , navigation and the monitoring of oil, gas and water resources or geology.

Closely related to sensory applications is quantum lithography, which also uses quantum coherence and entanglement to improve classical resolution.

communication

Conventional encrypted communication is based on the principle that decryption without knowledge of the key requires relatively high computing capacities: however, since computing capacities are constantly growing, secure encryption is becoming more and more complex. Quantum cryptography is a way out here, as it is based on the fundamental principle that quantum information cannot simply be duplicated (“ no-cloning theorem ”). An essential component of communication is the quantum key distribution: It is a method of transmitting keys in a manner with entangled light quanta that makes any interference in the transmission, for example by an eavesdropper in the communication channel, visible to the user .

Arithmetic

Quantum computers are machines that work with "quantum bits" or "qubits" (which can assume an overlay of 0 or 1) instead of conventional bits (which can have the value 0 or 1). From a theoretical point of view, at least from a theoretical point of view, the quantum mechanical overlay results in a significant acceleration in computing power, which accelerates a large number of methods in use today, such as database searches, navigation or prime number decomposition. Quantum computers are also expected to accelerate a number of novel applications in the computing field, such as certain optimizations and machine learning .

simulation

Quantum simulation can be viewed as a branch of quantum informatics. The aim is to investigate the behavior of complex and non-microscopically observable systems, such as superconductors, magnets or complex molecules, in a model system. This should be subject to the same or at least transferable physical laws, but should, for example, be better observable or over other parameter ranges. A quantum computer could solve these tasks. The simulation should enable the development of novel materials, for example in the field of biotechnology .

history

The field of quantum technology was outlined in a book by Gerard J. Milburn in 1997 , followed by articles by Jonathan P. Dowling and David Deutsch in the early 2000s. A common language was developed from different areas of quantum physics, such as quantum optics , atomic optics, quantum electronics and quantum nanomechanics, that of quantum information theory.

development

There are already a large number of devices that use the laws of quantum mechanics. The most important ones include the atomic clock , laser, and maser , which were developed in the 1950s. These devices are often counted as part of the "first quantum revolution". The terms “second quantum revolution” or “quantum 2.0” are also often used. This is generally understood to mean devices that actively prepare, process and read out quantum states, often using quantum effects such as superposition and entanglement . A clear delimitation of the individual generations in technological development through a "quantum revolution" is difficult and controversial. In principle, magnetic resonance imaging and the floating gate transistor can be counted as the second generation. Mostly, the entire quantum informatics is understood as a characteristic of the second generation. Some authors speak of a "third quantum revolution".

Funding programs

Since 2010 several governments have launched national funding programs, such as the UK National Quantum Technologies Program, the Center for Quantum Technologies in Singapore and QuTech in the Netherlands. In addition, the European Union announced a so-called FET flagship project in 2016, which will come into force in 2017. China is currently building the world's largest research center for quantum technologies with a planned investment of 76 billion yuan (approx. 10 billion euros). A national quantum initiative is also being prepared in the USA. In Germany, in September 2018 the federal government decided on a funding framework program “Quantum Technologies - From the Basics to the Market” amounting to 650 million euros for research and development. In the context of the 2020 economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic , the federal government decided on June 3, 2020 a € 130 billion economic stimulus program in which quantum technologies, in particular quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensors and quantum cryptography, with a financial volume of € 2 billion should be promoted. In particular, it was decided to "immediately award the contract to build at least two quantum computers to suitable consortia."

In the private sector, various companies are investing in quantum technologies, from startups to large corporations. Examples of large companies are the partnership of Google with the group of John Martinis , IBM's Quantum Experience , Intel's partnership with QuTech in Delft and Microsoft's promotion verschieder station Q labs. Among the more established of the numerous startups are ID Quantique from Switzerland, D-Wave Systems or Rigetti Computing from the USA. Many UK companies have invested in quantum technologies through the UK National Quantum Technologies Program .

literature

  • Lars Jaeger: The Second Quantum Revolution: From Spooks in the Microcosm to New Super Technologies , Springer-Verlag, 2018

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b TOPIC: FET Flagship on Quantum Technologies. Retrieved May 17, 2018 .
  2. ↑ Jürgen Müller: Earth measurement with quanta and relativity . 2016, arxiv : 1608.08407 .
  3. ↑ A. Acín, I. Bloch, H. Buhrman, T. Calarco, C. Eichler, J. Eisert, D. Esteve, N. Gisin, SJ Glaser, F. Jelezko, S. Kuhr, M. Lewenstein, MF Riedel , PO Schmidt, R. Thew, A. Wallraff, I. Walmsley, FK Wilhelm: The quantum technologies roadmap: a European community view . In: New J. Phys. tape 20 , 2018, p. 080201 , p. 18 , arxiv : 1712.03773 .
  4. ↑ Rolf Heuer: Quantum computers - computers of the future? (PDF) October 2016, accessed on October 27, 2016 .
  5. ↑ Jaeger: The second quantum revolution , page 496
  6. ^ Gerard J. Milburn: Schrödinger's machines: the quantum technology reshaping everyday life . WH Freeman, New York 1997, ISBN 0-7167-3106-1 .
  7. ↑ Jonathan P. Dowling, Gerard J. Milburn: Quantum technology: the second quantum revolution . In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences . tape 361 , no. 1809 , August 2003, ISSN  1471-2962 , p. 1655–1674 , doi : 10.1098 / rsta.2003.1227 .
  8. ↑ D. Deutsch: Physics, Philosophy, and Quantum Technology . In: Jeffrey H. Shapiro, O. Hirota (Ed.): Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Quantum Communication, Measurement and Computing . Rinton Press, Princeton NJ 2003, ISBN 1-58949-030-4 , pp. 419-425 ( online [PDF]).
  9. ↑ Jonathan Pritchard, Stephen Till: UK Quantum Technology Landscape 2014. (PDF; 2.9 MB) EPSRC , February 2014, accessed on August 29, 2016 (English).
  10. ↑ Jaeger: The second quantum revolution , p. 497
  11. ↑ Quantum optics and frontiers of physics: The third quantum revolution . arxiv : 1601.04616 (English).
  12. ↑ Quantum computers: A little bit, better. In: The Economist . June 20, 2015, accessed August 29, 2016 .
  13. ↑ China building world's biggest quantum research facility. Retrieved May 17, 2018 .
  14. ^ National Quantum Initiative - Action Plan. (PDF) Retrieved May 17, 2018 (English).
  15. ↑ Press release 089/2018: Quantum - a new age? BMBF, September 26, 2018, accessed October 7, 2018 .
  16. ↑ a b Key points of the economic stimulus package: Combat the consequences of the corona, secure prosperity, strengthen future viability. Federal Ministry of Finance , June 3, 2020, accessed on June 12, 2020 .
  17. ^ Klint Finley: The Man Who Will Build Google's Elusive Quantum Computer. In: Wired . May 9, 2014, accessed August 29, 2016 .
  18. ↑ Susanne Nolte: IBM puts quantum computers online. In: iX. May 4, 2016, accessed October 7, 2018 .
  19. ↑ Jeffrey Burt: Intel Plants Flag in Quantum Computing Space With 17-Qubit Chip. In: eWEEK. October 13, 2017, accessed October 7, 2018 .
  20. ^ Liam Tung: Microsoft just upped its multi-million bet on quantum computing. In: ZDnet. September 7, 2017, accessed October 7, 2018 .
  21. ↑ Philipp Alvares de Souza Soares: Race for the quantum computer: The next big thing. Retrieved August 29, 2016 .