The new state of matter, the "quantum spin liquid," does exist, accelerating the development of supercomputers

Scientists at Harvard University have demonstrated the existence of a completely new state of matter, the quantum spin liquid, that could accelerate the development of the supercomputer "quantum computer" and lead to a cure for diseases like Alzheimer's.

The quantum spin liquid state was reportedly developed by physicist Philip M. Philip W. Anderson first predicted it around 1973, but this state has never been observed in experiments. Instead of trying to prove its existence on paper, the Harvard team used an experimental method to recreate this state of matter in the lab.

The Harvard team recreated the new state of matter using a "programmable quantum simulator," a quantum computer that uses lasers to reproduce the physical environment and manipulate the geometry and interactions of atoms.

It is reported that the particles of the quantum spin liquid are very spaced apart, but remain connected due to the magnetism of its atoms.

While the concept of the substance and the experiments used to prove it are complex, it could eventually lead to extremely useful applications in the real world. This is because quantum spin liquids could greatly accelerate the development of new quantum computers.

These machines, whose development is still in their infancy, can be used to solve problems that are faster than today's computers. Scientists predict that they will transform medicine and eventually produce cures for diseases that are currently not effectively treated, including Alzheimer's.

Giulia Semeghini, a postdoctoral researcher at max Planck-Harvard's Center for Quantum Optics Research and lead author of the study, said standard quantum computers have separate "qubits," which are particles that can encode information and are very "vulnerable" to external perturbations. However, with quantum spin liquids, one can create a "topological qubit" that stores information in the topology of a system, rather than in the state of a single object.

Because topological structures are difficult to break, topological qubits are highly resistant to errors.

Mikhail Lukin, a physics professor who is the study's senior author and co-director of Harvard's Quantum Program, said the team is currently only creating a "baby version" of topological qubits that are far from practical applications, but the discovery is still exciting.

Text/Nandu reporter Chen Lin