Nanotechnology and Quantum Computing

In summary: You were talking about "QED", which stands for qubits. I don't think you need them for quantum information technology, but they are a part of the name. I would also like to know why you would need them in this particular case.
  • #1
cscott
782
1
Where do these fields overlap (if at all) and where do they differ?

If one was doing Nanotechnology at the graduate level with a BSc in physics behind them, what kinds of courses would one be taking? What about for Quantum Computing?
 
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  • #2
I asked my physics advisor the same thing at the beginning of the school year. Quantum computing is a broad field, there's the mathematics and theoretical computer science to it, the physics of course, and much more. Where nanotechnology and QC overlap is the area where the attempts to "build" ones occur. The progress in that area, I do not know.
 
  • #3
Tony11235 said:
Quantum computing is a broad field,

I would not say that. QC is the implementation of the principles of QM into software programming. Check out John Preskill's webpage for more info on this

Where nanotechnology and QC overlap is the area where the attempts to "build" ones occur. The progress in that area, I do not know.
Nanotechnology and QC do not overlap. Nanotechnology is just another name for quantum many body physics/chemistry on the micro/nano-distance scale.

regards
marlon
 
  • #4
marlon said:
I would not say that. QC is the implementation of the principles of QM into software programming.

The main goal of quantum computing may not be broad, but if somebody says that their research is quantum computing, that doesn't tell you much about what exactly it is they are researching. The field of quantum computing consists of many areas. You can't disagree with that.
 
  • #5
Tony11235 said:
The field of quantum computing consists of many areas.

Name me five such areas, please.

marlon
 
  • #6
Name me five such areas, please.
marlon
Easy!

quantum algorithms
quantum information theory
quantum cryptography
quantum error-correcting codes
quantum teleportation (tangentially)

Or, if you're an experimentalist:

Trapped ion qubits
NMR qubits
Exciton qubits
Optical cavity qubits
Cavity QED qubits

:cool:
 
  • #7
rachmaninoff said:
Easy!
quantum algorithms
quantum information theory
quantum cryptography
quantum error-correcting codes
quantum Teleportation (tangentially)
:rolleyes: Typical...

I am sorry but this is all dual. QIT is about cryptography and so on...and on...and on...

When one speaks of QM, one does not address each single topic of QM separately.

All the things you mentioned are QM, "point final"...
Just check out how John Preskill's course is constructed and you will se why all these topics are "dual" to one and other.


Or, if you're an experimentalist:
Trapped ion qubits
NMR qubits
Exciton qubits
Optical cavity qubits
Cavity QED qubits
:cool:

This is just QM, well many body QM to be exact.

marlon
 
Last edited:
  • #8
QED is just QM?

Anyway, I listed five experimental approaches to qubits - afaik they pretty much don't intersect at all, they're five orthogonal subfields. If they're "just QM", then so is all of condensed matter theory.
 
  • #9
marlon said:
Just check out how John Preskill's course is constructed and you will se why all these topics are "dual" to one and other.

Great link, thanks!
 
  • #10
rachmaninoff said:
QED is just QM?
When did i ever say that ?

Anyway, I listed five experimental approaches to qubits - afaik they pretty much don't intersect at all,

this is really not true. Error correction is constantly used in encryption and well, the quantum algorithms are the basic ingredient of error correction, encryption,...I mean, we are dealing with "software" here. Do not forget that.

regards
marlon
 
  • #11
marlon said:
When did i ever say that ?
marlon said:
...
Exciton qubits
Optical cavity qubits
Cavity QED qubits
This is just QM.
this is really not true. Error correction is constantly used in encryption and well, the quantum algorithms are the basic ingredient of error correction, encryption,...I mean, we are dealing with "software" here. Do not forget that.
regards
marlon
Yeah, but I was referring to the experimental part - the NMR vs. Ion trap vs. optical cavity... they're all different experimental groups, and I doubt they corroborate much.

Though apparently you're right about the theory part, it's essentially a single field.
 
  • #12
rachmaninoff said:
Yeah, but I was referring to the experimental part - the NMR vs. Ion trap vs. optical cavity... they're all different experimental groups, and I doubt they corroborate much.

You were ? Than you should have been more clear. Anyhow, NMR has nothing to do with quantum information technology. It is a technique that might be used for the practical implementation of some of the QIT aspects (encryption, entanglement,...). The same story holds for all the rest.

Also, i never said that QED is QM or something of that nature. All i ever said was that the theory behind your second list comes from many body physics (of which condensed matter is a subfield).

Besides, if you are talking about "cavity QED qubits" you should be very sure what this is about. I means i could ask you these two questions :

1) The epitheton "QED" implies that you need QED in this case. Hence one can no longer talk about quantum information technology, since this field is defined as the implementation of QM into software algorithm development (again i refer to John Preskill's webpage for this).

2) Why exactly do you need QED here ? Why no ordinary QM many body physics ? Or is it that you do not really need QED, but QED is "just" a part of the name ?

regards
marlon
 
  • #13
I don't actually know any QED (:frown:), but I believe the cavity QED qubit involves an atom strongly coupled to a photon in an optical cavity, or something, so yes QED is needed.

NMR has nothing to do with quantum information theory, but if you're talking about quantum computing - which is a practical thing, not the same as theoretical computer science - then it has everything to do with that. The group that implemented Deutsch's algorithm a few years ago, they were using NMR.

But this is getting semantical...
 
  • #14
rachmaninoff said:
NMR has nothing to do with quantum information theory, but if you're talking about quantum computing - which is a practical thing, not the same as theoretical computer science - then it has everything to do with that.

Yes but this is my point. It is a technique that is used in QIT, but it is NOT a result of QIT. That is the big difference i am trying to illustrate here.

The group that implemented Deutsch's algorithm a few years ago, they were using NMR.

Again, Deutsch's problem is a direct result from coming from QIT (ie the implementation of QM-principles in actual algortihms) but NMR is just used here as an experimental technique. NMR itself is a QM's thing.

regards
marlon
 
  • #15
To clarify: the original post used the words "quantum computing", so I assumed the topic was the most general one, inclusive of the pragmatic, experimental stuff. Regarding QIT, we seem to agree about what it means.

[/semantics war]
 
  • #16
rachmaninoff said:
To clarify: the original post used the words "quantum computing", so I assumed the topic was the most general one, inclusive of the pragmatic, experimental stuff. Regarding QIT, we seem to agree about what it means.

[/semantics war]

<semantics war>

Request for clarification : what does the content of your above post has got to do with our discussion ?

marlon

</semantics war>
 
  • #17
<semantics war>

I wasn't talking about NMR in general, I was referring to the use of NMR and radio-pulses to experimentally implement some aspects of quantum computing. The use of nuclear spin qubits in NMR is a significant research area in (experimental) quantum computing. At the same time, you were talking about quantum information theory, which is... information theory (with QM). The disconnect was that I thought you thought NMR qcomputing wasn't important, and you thought I thought NMR was somehow a theoretical aspect of quantum information. Hence this ongoing semantics war.

</semantics war>
 
  • #18
A computer does computation. It's an physical implementation of certain information-theoretic abstractions. But "computation" != "information theory".
 
  • #19
marlon said:
Nanotechnology and QC do not overlap. Nanotechnology is just another name for quantum many body physics/chemistry on the micro/nano-distance scale.
regards
marlon

Doesn't quantum computing require working at the atomic level for quantum effects? Is this not "nano"?
 

1. What is nanotechnology and how does it relate to quantum computing?

Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter at an incredibly small scale, typically at the nanometer level (1 nanometer = 1 billionth of a meter). Quantum computing, on the other hand, involves using the principles of quantum mechanics to perform computations. Nanotechnology is important in quantum computing because it allows for the creation of devices and materials at the nanoscale that can be used to build quantum computers.

2. How does quantum computing differ from traditional computing?

Traditional computing is based on the use of bits, which can have a value of either 0 or 1. Quantum computing, on the other hand, uses quantum bits (qubits) which can exist in multiple states at the same time, allowing for much more complex and efficient calculations. This means that quantum computers have the potential to solve certain problems much faster than traditional computers.

3. What are some potential applications of nanotechnology and quantum computing?

The combination of nanotechnology and quantum computing has the potential to revolutionize fields such as medicine, energy production, and materials science. Some specific applications include more efficient solar panels, personalized medicine and drug delivery, and the development of new materials with unique properties.

4. What are the current challenges and limitations facing nanotechnology and quantum computing?

One of the biggest challenges facing nanotechnology and quantum computing is the difficulty in controlling and manipulating particles at the nanoscale and the quantum level. This requires incredibly precise and complex technology and techniques. Additionally, the development of practical quantum computers is still in its early stages and there are still many technical hurdles to overcome before they can be widely used.

5. How can nanotechnology and quantum computing impact our daily lives in the future?

Nanotechnology and quantum computing have the potential to greatly impact our daily lives in the future by enabling faster and more efficient computing, leading to advancements in various industries and fields. This could include things like more accurate weather forecasting, improved healthcare, and more sustainable energy production. However, it is difficult to predict exactly how these technologies will develop and be implemented in the future.

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