After pulsing light on the qubits of a quantum computer in a pattern that was inspired by the Fibonacci sequence, researchers were able to see a new phase of matter that was previously unknown. If you believe that is amazing, you should know that this peculiar oddity of quantum physics also acts as if it has two temporal dimensions, rather than one. This is a property that scientists claim makes the particles more durable, allowing them to stay stable for the whole of the experiment.
This stability is referred to as quantum coherence, and it is one of the primary aims for developing an error-free quantum computer. It is also one of the goals that is among the most challenging to accomplish. As per Philipp Dumitrescu, a computational quantum physicist at the Flatiron Institute and lead author of a new study detailing the phenomena, the work provides an entirely new manner of understanding about the phases of matter. The research was published recently.
Nascent platforms for programmable quantum simulation offer unprecedented access to new regimes of far-from-equilibrium quantum many-body dynamics in almost isolated systems.
The building blocks of quantum computing are called qubits, which may be thought of as the quantum counterpart of computer bits. However, in contrast to bits, which can only process data in one of two states—either a 1 or a 0—qubits may be in both states at the same time. This phenomenon is referred to as quantum superposition.. Under the correct conditions, the mathematical structure of that superposition may be very strong from a computing viewpoint, making the task of problem solving much easier to do than it would otherwise be.
Entanglement
However, the hazy and uncertain aspect of a collection of qubits is also dependent on the way in which the undetermined states of each qubit relate to one another, which is a connection known as entanglement. Unfortunately, qubits may get entangled with almost anything in their surroundings, which can lead to the introduction of mistakes. The more fragile a qubit’s fuzzy state is (or the more disorder there is in its surroundings), the higher the probability that it will lose its coherence.
It is anticipated that a multi-tactic approach will be required to improve coherence to the point where it is viable in order to eliminate a large obstacle that is in the way of a working quantum computer; yet, every little amount helps make a difference. One method that may be used in the defense of qubits against decoherence is the enforcement of symmetry. If you take a standard square and turn it through ninety degrees, you will still have the same basic form. Because of its symmetry, it is immune to the effects of certain rotations.
The process of tapping qubits with laser pulses that are regularly spaced assures that there is a symmetry that is not based on space, but rather in time. This effect was of interest to Dumitrescu and his colleagues, and they intended to determine whether or not it might be amplified by include not symmetrical periodicity but rather asymmetrical quasiperiodicity. According to their hypothesis, this would result in the addition of not one but two instances of temporal symmetry, with one essentially hiding within the other.
The team’s past work provided the inspiration for the proposal, which was based on their earlier work proposing the development of something termed a quasicrystal in time, rather than space. Whereas the pattern of atoms on a crystal is symmetrical and repeats in space like a honeycomb or a square grid jungle gym, the pattern of atoms on a quasicrystal is non-repeating and ordered in the same way that a Penrose tiling does. In contrast, a crystal is made of a symmetrical lattice of atoms that repeats in space.
How was the experiment performed?
The experiment was carried out by the group using a cutting-edge commercial quantum computer that was created by Quantinuum, a firm that specializes in quantum computing. This monstrosity uses ten atoms of ytterbium as qubits in its system. These atoms are kept in an electrical ion trap, and from there, laser pulses may be used to manipulate or monitor them in any way that is necessary. The sequence of laser pulses that Dumitrescu and his colleagues developed was based on the Fibonacci numbers. Each segment of the series is the sum of the two segments that came before it. Because of this, the sequence that is produced is organized, but it does not repeat itself in the same way that a quasicrystal does.
It is possible to provide a mathematical description of quasicrystals by referring to them as lower-dimensional portions of higher-dimensional lattices. A Penrose tiling is a two-dimensional slice of a five-dimensional hypercube, which is another way of saying the same thing. In the same vein, it is possible to interpret the laser pulses produced by the group as a representation in one dimension of a pattern that exists in two dimensions. This meant that in theory, it had the capacity to impose two temporal symmetries on qubits.
The group validated its findings by firing lasers at the ytterbium qubit array in a series of symmetrical and then quasiperiodic patterns throughout the testing process. After that, they determined the coherence of the two qubits that were located at opposite ends of the trap. The qubits were steady for a duration of one and a half seconds during the periodic sequence. For the course of the experiment, which was 5.5 seconds, they maintained their steady state during the quasiperiodic sequence.
According to the findings of the researchers, the inclusion of the time symmetry provided an extra layer of defense against quantum decoherence. According to the researchers, the work isn’t even close to being prepared to be incorporated into quantum computers that are really functioning, but it does constitute an essential step towards achieving that objective.
