A stone from Namibia can make quantum light simulators a reality

An international investigation led by the University of St Andrews used a copper oxide (Cu2O) gemstone naturally mined in Namibia to create Rydberg polaritons, the largest mixture of light and matter particles ever created.

Rydberg polaritons are constantly changing from light to matter and vice versa. In Rydberg polaritons, light and matter are like two sides of a coin, and the matter side causes the polaritons to interact with each other.

This interaction is crucial because it enables the creation of quantum simulators, a special type of quantum computer that stores information in quantum bits. These quantum bits can take on any value between 0 and 1, in contrast to the binary bits of classic computers, which can only be 0 or 1. Therefore, they can store much more information and run multiple processes at the same time.

This ability could allow quantum simulators to solve important mysteries in physics, chemistry and biology – for example how to make high-temperature superconductors for high-speed trains, how cheaper fertilizers could be made to potentially alleviate global hunger, or how proteins are folded to facilitate the creation of more potent drugs.

project leader dr. Hamid Ohadi of the University of St Andrews’ School of Physics and Astronomy says in a statement that “making a quantum simulator with light is the holy grail of science.” Jump into the creation of Rydberg polaritons, the key ingredient of it. “

To create Rydberg polaritons, the researchers trapped light between two highly reflective mirrors. Then a copper oxide crystal from a rock quarried in Namibia was thinned and polished into a 30 micron thick slab (thinner than a human hair) and placed between the two mirrors to make Rydberg polaritons 100 times larger than ever before.

One of the main authors, Dr. Sai Kiran Rajendran, of the University of St Andrews’ School of Physics and Astronomy, says in a statement that “purchasing the stone on eBay was easy given the narrow range of colours.

The team is currently refining these methods to explore the possibility of fabricating quantum circuits, which are the next ingredient for quantum simulators.