Lifeboat Foundation

Our data-driven world demands more—more capacity, more efficiency, more computing power. To meet society’s insatiable need for electronic speed, physicists have been pushing the burgeoning field of spintronics.

Traditional electronics use the charge of electrons to encode, store and transmit information. Spintronic devices utilize both the charge and spin-orientation of electrons. By assigning a value to electron spin (up=0 and down=1), spintronic devices offer ultra-fast, energy-efficient platforms.

To develop viable spintronics, physicists must understand the quantum properties within materials. One property, known as spin-torque, is crucial for the electrical manipulation of magnetization that’s required for the next generation of storage and processing technologies.

Observing the effects of special relativity doesn’t necessarily require objects moving at a significant fraction of the speed of light. In fact, length contraction in special relativity explains how electromagnets work. A magnetic field is just an electric field seen from a different frame of reference.

So, when an electron moves in the electric field of another electron, this special relativistic effect results in the moving electron interacting with a magnetic field, and hence with the electron’s spin angular momentum.

Continue reading “Relativistic spin-orbit coupling may lead to unconventional superconductivity type” »

For the first time ever, scientists have used a technique called “quantum squeezing” to improve the gas sensing performance of devices known as optical frequency comb lasers. These ultra-precise sensors are like fingerprint scanners for molecules of gas. Scientists have used them to spot methane leaks in the air above oil and gas operations and signs of COVID-19 infections in breath samples from humans.

Now, in a series of lab experiments, researchers have laid out a path for making those kinds of measurements even more sensitive and faster—doubling the speed of frequency comb detectors. The work is a collaboration between Scott Diddams at CU Boulder Boulder and Jérôme Genest at Université Laval in Canada.

“Say you were in a situation where you needed to detect minute quantities of a dangerous gas leak in a factory setting,” said Diddams, professor in the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering. “Requiring only 10 minutes versus 20 minutes can make a big difference in keeping people safe.”

Researchers have revolutionized quantum technology by achieving long-lasting entanglement between molecules using ‘magic-wavelength optical tweezers.’

This breakthrough enhances the potential for quantum computing.

Performing computation using quantum-mechanical phenomena such as superposition and entanglement.

IonQ fired the first shot in the M&A opportunities for quantum startups back in 2021, becoming the first publicly traded pure-play quantum computing company. In late 2024, IonQ filed to acquire Qubitekk as part of its strategy to apply distributed computer development as a means to progress toward a CRQC computer in data centers.

I predict that IonQ, among others in the space, has just begun its M&A program.

Continue reading “The Year Ahead: Promise For Quantum Growth” »

Harnessing molecular connections: unlocking long-lasting quantum entanglement.

Quantum entanglement—the mysterious connection that links particles no matter the distance between them—is a cornerstone for developing advanced technologies like quantum computing and precision measurement tools. While significant strides have been made in controlling simpler particles such as atoms, extending this control to more complex systems like molecules has remained challenging due to their intricate structures and sensitivity to their surroundings.

In a groundbreaking study, researchers have achieved long-lived quantum entanglement between pairs of ultracold polar molecules using a highly controlled environment known as “magic-wavelength optical tweezers.” These tweezers manipulate molecules with extraordinary precision, stabilizing their complex internal states, such as vibrations and rotations, while enabling detectable, fine-scale interactions.

Continue reading “‘Magic-wavelength optical tweezers’ achieve quantum entanglement of molecules” »

UK researchers used special optical tweezers to attain quantum entanglement of molecules that could unlock multiple applications in quantum computing.

A team of researchers has discovered a new way to control the magnetic behavior of quantum materials using applied voltages. Specifically, the material lanthanum strontium manganite (LSMO), which is magnetic and metallic at low temperatures but non-magnetic and insulating when relatively warm, can be influenced by voltage.

The work is published in the journal Nano Letters.

Quantum materials like LSMO are materials that possess special properties because of the rules of quantum mechanics. Researchers discovered that applying voltage to LSMO in its magnetic phase causes the material to split into regions with distinct magnetic properties. The magnetic properties of these regions depend on the applied voltage. This is important because normally, magnetic properties don’t respond to voltage.

A six-layer crystal device generates entangled photons efficiently, offering breakthroughs in communication and quantum computing.