Three researchers have been awarded the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics for their groundbreaking work in quantum mechanics, the theory that describes the micro-world of atoms and particles.
The prize money of 10 million Swedish kronor (US$915,000) will be split among Alain Aspect from Université Paris-Saclay in France, John Clauser from J.F. Clauser & Associates in the US, and Anton Zeilinger from University of Vienna in Austria "for experiments with entangled photons, establishing the violation of Bell inequalities and pioneering quantum information science."
The universe of quantum physics certainly seems strange. We learn in school that we can use physics equations to precisely forecast how objects will behave in the future, such as where a ball will go if we roll it down a hill.
This is distinct from quantum mechanics. It provides us with information about the likelihood of discovering subatomic particles in certain locations rather than making individual predictions. Actually, a particle may be in many locations at once before "selecting" one randomly when it is being measured.
This disturbed even the brilliant Albert Einstein, who became persuaded that it was incorrect as a result. He reasoned that there must be some "hidden variables"—forces or laws that we can't see—that reliably affect the outcomes of our measurements, as opposed to outcomes being random.
However, several scientists accepted the implications of quantum mechanics. In 1964, a physicist from Northern Ireland named John Bell made a significant discovery by coming up with a theoretical test to demonstrate that the hidden variables Einstein had in mind don't really exist.
Particles may be "entangled," or eerily coupled, such that if you influence one, you also instantaneously and automatically affect the other, according to quantum theory.
If the strange instantaneous influences between particles that are far away were to be explained by the particles talking with one another via hidden variables, Einstein's theories deny faster-than-light communication.
Understanding quantum entanglement, which fundamentally links particle attributes regardless of how far away they are, is difficult. Consider a lightbulb that releases two photons (light particles) that move away from it in opposing directions.
If these photons are entangled, they may share a characteristic, like polarization, no matter how far apart they are. To demonstrate that these two photons were intertwined, Bell envisioned conducting tests on them individually and comparing the findings (truly and mysteriously linked).
At a period when it was almost impossible to conduct tests on single photons, Clauser put Bell's theory into practice. Eight years after Bell's well-known thought experiment, in 1972, Clauser demonstrated that light might actually get entangled.
Despite the fact that Clauser's findings were ground-breaking, there are a few other, stranger interpretations for what he discovered.
Perhaps his findings might be explained without entanglement if light didn't behave exactly as scientists predicted. Aspect was the first to object to what is regarded as a "loophole" in Bell's test, which refers to these justifications.
Aspect devised a brilliant experiment to obviate one of the most significant possible weaknesses in Bell's test. He demonstrated that Bell's test is not truly being decided by the entangled photons' communication with one another via secret variables.
This proves that their connection is uncannily close.
The importance of testing our hypotheses in science cannot be overstated. Few, if any, have contributed more to this than Aspect. Over the last century, quantum mechanics has been put to the test several times and has come out on top.
quantum mechanics
You may be excused at this point for questioning why it matters how the tiny world functions or that photons can get entangled. Here is where Zeilinger's vision really comes to life.
In the past, we used our understanding of classical mechanics to create factories and machines, sparking the industrial revolution. The digital revolution has been fueled by knowledge of semiconductor and electrical characteristics.
But by comprehending quantum physics, we can take use of it and create tools that can do novel tasks. In fact, many think that quantum technology will be the catalyst for the next revolution.
In computing, quantum entanglement may be used to process data in novel ways that weren't previously conceivable. Sensors can now identify objects with higher accuracy than ever before by detecting even the slightest changes in entanglement.
Additionally, because measurements of quantum systems might expose the existence of the eavesdropper, using entangled light to communicate can ensure security.
By demonstrating how it is feasible to connect a number of entangled systems together to create the quantum version of a network, Zeilinger's work cleared the way for the quantum technological revolution.
These quantum mechanical applications will not be science fiction in 2022. The first quantum computers are here. Entanglement is used by the Micius satellite to offer worldwide secure communications. And applications ranging from medical imaging to submarine detection employ quantum sensors.
In the end, the 2022 Nobel committee has acknowledged the significance of the applied foundations creating, modifying, and testing quantum entanglement and the revolution it is assisting.
I'm happy to see these trio winning the prize. I was motivated by their work to begin a PhD at the University of Cambridge in 2002. Making a simple semiconductor device to produce entangled light was the goal of my research.
This made it possible to build usable devices for real-world applications and dramatically simplified the equipment required for conducting quantum experiments. The advancements that have been achieved in the sector since our work was successful astound and thrill me.
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