What if the world we live in is not three-dimensional, but two-dimensional? How would the basic building blocks of matter behave in such a flat world? This question has fueled the research of Ashvin Vishwanath, a theoretical physicist at Harvard University.
In our 3D world, there are only two types of particles: bosons and fermions. Bosons are particles of light and force, such as the famous Higgs boson, which provides mass to other particles. Fermions are particles of matter, such as protons, neutrons, and electrons, that make up everything we see and touch.
But in the 2D world, things get a lot more interesting. Other types of particles can exist, and they are neither bosons nor fermions, but somewhere in between. These particles are known as non-abelian anyons and have some very strange and fascinating properties.
A non-abelian anyon is not a particle, but a collective excitation of a particular phase of matter, like a ripple on the surface of water. They can only exist in a 2D plane, where they can move around each other in a way that is not possible in 3D.
What makes non-abel anysons so special is that they have a memory. When they swap places, they remember their previous positions and directions, which can affect their future behavior. It's like a magic trick: the magician moves some cups and reveals a hidden ball underneath one of the cups.
This memory also makes non-abelian anyons topology, meaning that they are not affected by small deformations and disturbances. They can be stretched, twisted, or bent without losing their identity or information.
These properties make non-abelian anyons very attractive for quantum computing, which is the next frontier of information technology. Quantum computing uses qubits or qubits, which can store and process information in a more powerful way than classical bits. However, qubits are fragile and error-prone, limiting their practical application.
On the other hand, non-abelian anyon can be used as a robust qubit, which can hold and manipulate information without losing it due to noise or interference. This allows quantum computing to reach its full potential and solve problems that are impossible for classical computers.
Create and control non-abelian wave functions.
Nature Theories have been non-abelian anyons for decades, but have only now been observed or created in the laboratory.
In collaboration with researchers at quantum computing company Quantinuum, Vishwanath and his team have made the first breakthrough in creating and controlling non-abelian anyons. Their findings were published in the journal Nature.
The team used a powerful device called a quantum processor, a machine that can manipulate the quantum states of matter. They start with a lattice of 27 trapped ions that have lost or gained an electron. They then used an ingenious partial and targeted measurement technique to shape the quantum state of the system until they obtained the desired state of the non-abelian topological order.
The team demonstrated the synthesis and control of non-abelian anyons and verified their properties and behavior. They also showed that their systems can scale to larger sizes, which is critical for quantum computing applications.
This is a great achievement in quantum physics and engineering," Vishwanath said. "Not only have we achieved a new phase of matter, but we have also demonstrated its potential in quantum computing.
Vishwanath, a theorist by training, said he was happy to see his ideas come to life in experiments. He also said he was excited to celebrate the 100th anniversary of quantum mechanics, a branch of physics that describes the nature of matter and energy at the smallest scale.
We live in the ** era of quantum science and technology," he said. "There's still a lot to discover and explore. ”
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