China achieve breakthrough in quantum computing

Scientists in China have achieved a significant breakthrough in quantum computing by successfully entangling multiple ultracold atoms. The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Tsinghua University, and Fudan University, marks a crucial step towards developing practical processors for quantum computers.

Previous studies were only able to entangle two atoms at a time, but the Chinese team devised new experimental devices and methods that enabled them to entangle eight and ten atoms in two-dimensional blocks and one-dimensional chains, respectively. This development is a crucial advancement towards preparing and manipulating large-scale atom entanglement.

Entangling atoms is a vital component in quantum algorithms and can lead to the development of faster and more powerful computers. For example, a quantum computer with 10 quantum bits, or qubits, is equivalent to the memory capacity of 2^10 bits in a conventional computer, and its computing power increases exponentially with the number of entangled particles.

The researchers utilized optical lattices, which are networks of laser beams used for trapping atoms, as a promising platform for their experiment. However, they faced the challenge of entangling more than two atoms simultaneously to achieve scalability.

To overcome this obstacle, the USTC team, led by Pan Jianwei, developed new instruments and technologies, including an optical superlattice, a quantum gas microscope, and three digital micromirror devices. These innovations allowed them to create and verify the entanglement of multiple atoms at a resolution of a single atom.

In their experiment, the team used approximately 100 ultracold rubidium atoms and successfully created entangled pairs with a fidelity of over 95% and a lifetime exceeding two seconds. They then connected these entangled pairs to form one-dimensional chains of ten atoms and two-dimensional blocks of eight atoms, ensuring that all the atoms in each group were simultaneously entangled.

Overall, this study represents a significant advancement in the field of quantum computing. The successful entanglement of multiple ultracold atoms in a laser trap is a crucial step towards practical processors for quantum computers. The researchers believe that their work provides essential building blocks for scalable and practical quantum computing.

This breakthrough has wide-ranging implications for various fields that require high computational power, such as data analysis, optimization, and cryptography. It may also contribute to advancements in materials science, drug discovery, and climate modeling.

It is worth noting that Pan Jianwei and his team have been studying optical-lattice-based ultracold atomic systems since 2010.

In conclusion, the successful entanglement of multiple ultracold atoms represents a significant breakthrough in quantum computing. The Chinese researchers have overcome previous limitations and developed new devices and methods to achieve this milestone. Their work opens up possibilities for practical quantum computer processors, with potential applications in various fields. This advancement in quantum computing has the potential to revolutionize computational capabilities and underpin future technological innovations.