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| The ion trap used by Dave Wineland and colleagues at NIST to entangle two different kinds of ions. The gold-on-alumina trap can be seen in the oval window at the centre of the photograph. The oval window is about 2 cm across. (Courtesy: Blakestad/NIST) |
Topics: NIST, Quantum Computer, Quantum Mechanics
Quantum entanglement has been created and measured between pairs of two different kinds of nuclei for the first time. Carried out by two independent research groups, the work is a key step towards the creation of ion-based quantum computers, in which different nuclei perform different functions. One of the groups is based at the University of Oxford in the UK and the other at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Boulder, Colorado.
Information in a quantum computer is stored and transmitted in quantum bits (qubits), which can be entities such as photons or ions. Qubits will quickly lose their quantum nature when in contact with the outside world, which is a challenge for those designing quantum computers. Individual qubits must interact with each other for a quantum calculation to proceed, and so cannot be completely isolated from the outside world.
Physics World: Physicists take entanglement beyond identical ions, Hamish Johnston
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