In 1905, Albert Einstein proposed his most revolutionary idea that, instead of the longstanding theory of light being waves OR particles, light can have both wave AND particle properties. Applying this fundamental shift in perspective to all quantum particles, scientists developed quantum mechanics — the theory of how atoms and subatomic particles behave at the atomic level — that led to new ways to understand atoms and subtomic particles. This sparked the first quantum revolution, resulting in the development of the personal computer, lasers, LED lighting, even GPS and the Internet.
Science has evolved radically since the turn of the 20th century: researchers are now using the deepest principles of quantum mechanics to achieve unprecedented levels of atomic precision and control to engineer quantum technology — electronics that are smaller, faster and more advanced than ever before. They are now developing new techniques for these quantum technologies using tools like ion beam accelerators to help usher in the second quantum revolution.
How scientists are doing this, what’s next and the role played by accelerator-based techniques and the IAEA were topics discussed at a side event, ‘Building Quantum Technology with Ion Beam Accelerators’, held today on the margins of the IAEA’s 63rd General Conference.
“This is an exciting area, and accelerators are helping us explore the future,” said Najat Mokhtar, Deputy Director General and Head of the IAEA’s Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, during her opening remarks at the side event. She highlighted how the IAEA supports research and development using accelerators, as well as its assistance to countries with setting up, operating and maintaining ion beam accelerators. “There are currently six ongoing IAEA coordinated research projects related to ion beam accelerators, one of which focuses on improving materials for quantum technology.”
What’s to come with quantum
What we can expect to see with quantum technology is secure optical fiber communication systems with information encoded on the quantum states of photons (light particles), ultra-high precision clocks, sensors for medical diagnostics, customized drug design using quantum computers, simulations of complex physical systems and more sophisticated machine learning.
“Physicist Paul Dirac commented in 1928 that even though we know the underlying physical laws for most of physics and the whole of chemistry, the exact application of these laws leads to equations much too complicated to be solvable,” said David Jamieson, Professor of Physics at the University of Melbourne. “While large-scale quantum computers can help us solve these important — and previously impossible — problems, it will require first overcoming formidable scientific and technical obstacles. We will need to manipulate and interrogate single atoms with unprecedented precision. To do that on a large-scale, we still need the right materials and techniques.”
