University of Chicago realizes the integration and control of quantum states of common electronic equipment

According to the University of Chicago website, scientists at the University ’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering have made a major breakthrough in quantum technology research—common electronic devices made with silicon carbide can integrate and control quantum states. The research results were published in the journal Science and Advances in Science.

The head of the research team, David Awschalom, said that the ability to create and control high-performance qubits in commonly used electronic products is indeed a surprise. These findings have changed the view of the development of quantum technology. Because quantum technology uses the properties of particles at the atomic level, it is often considered too fragile to coexist with electronic products used in cell phones, laptops, and cars. But Awschalom's team has proved that the quantum states embedded in silicon carbide can be controlled by electricity. This discovery makes it easier to design and manufacture quantum electrons, and current scientists usually need to use materials such as superconducting metals, suspended atoms or diamonds. Used in quantum experiments. In addition, the quantum states in silicon carbide can also emit single-particle light with wavelengths close to the telecommunications band, making them ideal for long-distance transmission through fiber optic networks. The research results provide ideas for solving the very common noise problem in quantum technology. Quantum information is extremely susceptible to interference from the noisy electronic environment created by impurities, but by using electronic diodes, the research team found unexpected results, and quantum signals suddenly became noise-free and almost completely stable.

Awschalom said that the combination of quantum mechanics and mature classic semiconductor technology makes it possible to store and transmit quantum information in the global optical fiber network, thereby creating an unbreakable communication channel, realizing the invisible transmission of single-electron states and laying the foundation for the quantum Internet .