Quantum Physics at Technorama
- Research
- Institute for Quantum Electronics (IQE)
- D-PHYS
- D-PHYS
- Quantum sciences
Quantum computers and quantum mechanics are currently the focus of intensive research, including at ETH Zurich, and are also increasingly becoming topics in the media. In this domain, researchers work with the tiniest of particles daily, with a particular emphasis on experimentally realizing a new era of information technologies with capabilities beyond those available to us today. But how can this world of quantum physics be experienced outside the laboratory?
Today's technology is reaching its limits – transistors, for instance, are now only nanometres in size. Even everyday applications such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are based on quantum mechanics. However, quantum mechanics also allows fundamentally different ways of controlling information. One promising way to do this is to use individually addressable ions (positively charged atoms). This is expected to lead to new possibilities for computation and communication, which may also bring about societal change.
Technological change
Together with the Department of Physics at ETH Zurich, where the project originated, the Swiss Science Center Technorama in Winterthur wants to make the fundamentals of this technological development – quantum physics – tangible, with the help of an ion trap. “Quantum computers are becoming a reality; in the future, they may even function using ion traps. It is important to introduce students to such topics, just as we introduce computer literacy,” says Natascha Hedrich, a physicist and recent addition to the project team in the research group of ETH Professor Jonathan Home.
Atoms are just as fascinating as stars
Giving the public the possibility to interact with atoms was a dream of the quantum physicist, Jonathan Home: “We want to generate the same “wow” effect that people have when astronomers talk about astronomy and black holes, but for atoms. Atoms are no less fascinating a phenomenon. We just don’t experience them directly outside the laboratory.” This idea immediately excited the head of Technorama, Thorsten Künnemann, when the communications department of the Department of Physics outlined the project to him four years ago. A specially built ion trap exhibiting real atoms would be a unique first-of-its-kind, going beyond earlier exhibits featuring models of such systems.
Challenges
The team’s enthusiasm was immediately followed by technical and didactic challenges. A science centre exhibition places high demands on any apparatus: simple, intuitive, and robust operation and a didactic context for better understanding. A quick start-up time is also key as the daily start-up of the 1500 or so exhibits in the Technorama must take only 15 minutes. Furthermore, they must run automatically and require little maintenance. This is demanding given the complexity of the ion trap, which lives close to the forefront of today’s research, with its vacuum chamber, ion source, electric fields, finely adjusted lasers, and corresponding software.
It works!
Nonetheless, Ilia Sergachev, an engineer in Jonathan Home’s research group, has succeeded in building a prototype ion trap for Technorama. Despite the high demands, it can be used to visualise quantum mechanics as planned, using individual ions and their quantum “jumps” from dark to bright. “New approaches are needed for operating the experiment outside the laboratory environment,” says Ilia Sergachev. “Brightness, image quality and visibility of the atoms must be brought to the forefront for an exhibition.” At Technorama, the ions will be visible to the naked eye and simultaneously magnified on a screen thanks to a live broadcast via a CMOS camera.
Atoms – future building blocks
“For a long time, I worked with atoms in the lab without seeing them individually; I only saw a cloud of millions of atoms. So, I was pretty excited when I saw individual ions for the first time,” explains former postdoctoral researcher Matt Grau, who helped develop the project from the beginning. Now, this possibility becomes available to the public. The ions are excited with a laser and emit light as they decay into the ground state. The visitors at Technorama should be able to learn about this process, but didactically, this is demanding. Thanks to the project co-financing by the Swiss National Science Foundation through an “Agora” grant, Natascha Hedrich can analyse how the public interacts with the exhibit, thereby improving the experience and educational material together with Technorama’s didactics team. Together they are now developing new ideas to provide Technorama guests with an extraordinary encounter with atoms and quantum mechanics.
Seeing inconceivable things
Since the ion trap was moved to Technorama in September 2021, over 500 people have already been able to see the atoms during the public test. “Even as a child, I had the feeling that I could see atoms. Today I actually saw some. It puts me in awe and amazement to see such inconceivable things,” said one enthusiastic visitor, while another tried to capture the quantum “jumps” of the atoms from dark to bright on video. By talking to and observing the audience, helpful didactic tools for understanding the exhibit can be developed step by step. In August 2022, the testing process is expected to be completed and the first quantum mechanical exhibit will be fully integrated at Technorama.
Stimulating discussion about quantum technology
The ion trap is intended to arouse enthusiasm and curiosity for science and technology from a new perspective and to raise questions, such as how it is possible to observe something so small. Questions about the world are the foundation of science. For this reason, Technorama wants to design special workshops for school classes that use the exhibit to offer insights into today's fundamental research in quantum physics, which will increasingly influence our professional world and technology. In this way, Jonathan Home, Thorsten Künnemann, and their teams want to bring the seemingly incomprehensible closer to the public through such essential experiences.
Preview
What – The ion trap team will be available to answer questions about the exhibit
When – Sunday, 6. March 2022, 10 am - 5 pm
Where – external page Technorama, Winterthur
Registration for Preview – Technorama Registration Form
The ion trap has been available to the public since January 2022.
This project has been financed through an Agora grant, the Department of Physics at ETH Zurich and the Swiss Science Center Technorama.