NIST physicists have developed a quantum simulator using trapped beryllium ions that can entangle up to 219 particles, a significant increase from previous simulators. The simulator, described in the June 10, 2016 issue of Science, uses ions as quantum bits (qubits) to model complex quantum phenomena and could aid in studying problems like quantum computing and atomic clocks.
The NIST team improved on their 2012 version by removing errors and instabilities, providing clear proof of entanglement. Quantum simulators with hundreds of qubits have been made using other materials, but trapped ions offer advantages like reliable preparation and detection of quantum states.
The simulator’s ability to generate entanglement in 219 ions is crucial for practical applications, as even a slight increase in the number of particles makes simulations exponentially more complex. The researchers used lasers and improved magnetic fields to engineer interactions among the ions, and detected spin states based on fluorescence.
The work has implications for atomic clocks based on large numbers of ions, as the reduction in quantum noise from spin squeezing makes this form of entanglement useful for enhancing clock performance.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2016/06/nists-super-quantum-simulator-entangles-hundreds-ions
Keywords: Simulation, Entanglement, Qubits, Quantum, Ions
