Researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have made a significant breakthrough in quantum information storage by developing a method to translate electrical quantum states into sound and vice versa. The new technique, which utilizes phonons, could potentially revolutionize quantum computing by providing a more efficient and longer-lasting method of storing quantum information.
In a paper published in the journal Nature Physics, Mohammad Mirhosseini, assistant professor of electrical engineering and applied physics at Caltech, detailed the innovative method his lab developed. By using phonons, which are the sound equivalent of photons, Mirhosseini’s team found it easier to build small devices that can store these mechanical waves. This method allows for the translation of electrical quantum states into sound, enabling the storage of quantum information prepared by future quantum computers made from electrical circuits.
To demonstrate the concept, Mirhosseini likened it to an echo in a room. In an extremely echoey room, if someone shouts a grocery list and closes the door, the sound waves will continue to echo and store the information. Similarly, the tiny device developed by the research team consists of flexible plates that vibrate with sound waves at high frequencies. When an electric charge is applied to these plates, they can interact with electrical signals carrying quantum information, allowing for its storage and later retrieval.
Previous studies had looked into materials called piezoelectrics for converting mechanical energy to electrical energy in quantum applications. However, these materials often caused energy loss for electrical and sound waves. The new method developed by Mirhosseini and his team circumvents this issue by not relying on the specific properties of materials, making it compatible with established quantum devices based on microwaves.
One of the challenges in quantum computing has been creating efficient storage devices with small footprints. Alkim Bozkurt, a graduate student in Mirhosseini’s group and the lead author of the paper, highlighted that their method allows for the storage of quantum information from electrical circuits for much longer durations compared to other compact mechanical devices.
The research conducted by Mirhosseini and his team represents a significant advancement in the field of quantum computing and information storage. It provides a promising solution for the ongoing pursuit of efficient and effective methods of storing quantum information, bringing us closer to unlocking the full potential of quantum computing.
The study, titled “A quantum electromechanical interface for long-lived phonons,” was published in Nature Physics. Co-authors of the paper include Chaitali Joshi and Han Zhao, postdoctoral scholars in electrical engineering and applied physics at Caltech, as well as scientists Peter Day and Henry LeDuc from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which Caltech manages for NASA. The research received funding from the KNI-Wheatley Scholars program.