Quantum technology
Encyclopedia
Quantum technology is a new field of physics and engineering, which transitions some of the stranger features of quantum mechanics
, especially quantum entanglement
and most recently quantum tunneling, into practical applications such as quantum computing, quantum cryptography
, quantum simulation, quantum metrology
, quantum sensing, and quantum imaging
.
The field of quantum technology was first outlined in a 1997 book by Gerard J. Milburn, which was then followed by a 2003 article by Jonathan P. Dowling and Gerard J. Milburn, as well as a 2003 article by David Deutsch
. The field of quantum technology has benefited immensely from the influx of new ideas from the field of quantum information processing, particularly quantum computing. Disparate areas of quantum physics, such as quantum optics
, atom optics
, quantum electronics, and quantum nanomechanical devices, have been unified under the search for a quantum computer
and given a common language, that of quantum information
theory.
Quantum mechanics
Quantum mechanics, also known as quantum physics or quantum theory, is a branch of physics providing a mathematical description of much of the dual particle-like and wave-like behavior and interactions of energy and matter. It departs from classical mechanics primarily at the atomic and subatomic...
, especially quantum entanglement
Quantum entanglement
Quantum entanglement occurs when electrons, molecules even as large as "buckyballs", photons, etc., interact physically and then become separated; the type of interaction is such that each resulting member of a pair is properly described by the same quantum mechanical description , which is...
and most recently quantum tunneling, into practical applications such as quantum computing, quantum cryptography
Quantum cryptography
Quantum key distribution uses quantum mechanics to guarantee secure communication. It enables two parties to produce a shared random secret key known only to them, which can then be used to encrypt and decrypt messages...
, quantum simulation, quantum metrology
Quantum metrology
Quantum metrology is the study of making high-resolution and highly sensitive measurements of physical parameters using quantum theory to describe the physical systems, particularly exploiting quantum entanglement...
, quantum sensing, and quantum imaging
Quantum imaging
Quantum imaging,, is a new sub-field of quantum optics that exploits quantum correlations such as quantum entanglement of the electromagnetic field in order to image objects with a resolution or other imaging criteria that is beyond what is possible in classical optics. Examples of quantum imaging...
.
The field of quantum technology was first outlined in a 1997 book by Gerard J. Milburn, which was then followed by a 2003 article by Jonathan P. Dowling and Gerard J. Milburn, as well as a 2003 article by David Deutsch
David Deutsch
David Elieser Deutsch, FRS is an Israeli-British physicist at the University of Oxford. He is a non-stipendiary Visiting Professor in the Department of Atomic and Laser Physics at the Centre for Quantum Computation in the Clarendon Laboratory of the University of Oxford...
. The field of quantum technology has benefited immensely from the influx of new ideas from the field of quantum information processing, particularly quantum computing. Disparate areas of quantum physics, such as quantum optics
Quantum optics
Quantum optics is a field of research in physics, dealing with the application of quantum mechanics to phenomena involving light and its interactions with matter.- History of quantum optics :...
, atom optics
Atom optics
Atom optics is the area of physics which deals with beams of cold, slowly moving neutral atoms, as a special case of a particle beam....
, quantum electronics, and quantum nanomechanical devices, have been unified under the search for a quantum computer
Quantum computer
A quantum computer is a device for computation that makes direct use of quantum mechanical phenomena, such as superposition and entanglement, to perform operations on data. Quantum computers are different from traditional computers based on transistors...
and given a common language, that of quantum information
Quantum information
In quantum mechanics, quantum information is physical information that is held in the "state" of a quantum system. The most popular unit of quantum information is the qubit, a two-level quantum system...
theory.
External links
- "Gadgets from the Quantum Spookhouse," Science News, Vol. 160, No. 23, Dec. 8, 2001, p. 364.
- "Spooky Timing: Quantum-linked photons coordinate clock ticks," Science News, Vol. 166, No. 13, Sept. 25, 2004, p. 196.
- "Kittens Catch Phase," Jonathan P. Dowling, Nature 450, 362-363 (15 November 2007).
- " Quantum-enhanced positioning and clock synchronization," Nature 412, 417-419 (26 July 2001).
- Quantum Feedback Control and Metrology with Cold Atoms
- Quantum Atomic Gravity Gradiometer
- Real World Quantum Effects Demonstrated