So there are very many hard problems
that arise in quantum physics especially
when many quantum particles interact
with each other or quantum chemistry so
understanding properties of molecules.
These problems are very hard and they
cannot be solved naturally on powerful
computers or even supercomputers.
In our lab we are building a trapped ion based
quantum computer and we can make
individual ions behave like a quantum
bit or qubit. We can make those two bits
interact and mimic properties of other
quantum materials interacting among themselves
Essentially with an apparatus
that we built in this laboratory we can
trap individual ions those atoms are so
cold they are very close to the absolute
zero temperature and so at that
temperature the atoms essentially
becomes quantum objects and we can use
the quantum properties of the atoms to
build this quantum simulator and do
research on concepts in quantum information theory.
The quantum simulator
is an experimentally well controlled
system that can be used to investigate
problems that are otherwise intractable.
By using these quantum simulators we'll
gain enough insight into how quantum
particles interacts such that you'd be
able to come up with new materials or
new molecules understand properties of
let's say new drug molecules and that
can be used in many different areas of
science and technology.
In the near future the quantum simulator will be the key to finding new materials, discovery of new
drugs molecules and even to solve
problems that are not directly related
to physics or chemistry for example any
optimization problems such as logistics problems.
We are essentially building a
system bottom-up to understand how many
particles will behave with each other and
answer some of the hard questions in
quantum physics and quantum chemistry.
So as an experimentalist the fact that we
can do all of that in a real laboratory
that truly fascinates me.
The hope would be in the near future
fundamental research should be mature
enough so we can think of new technology
that comes from all of this
that will change our society
