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They keep blabbering about “future technology” in the article. Can someone give a real example, since I have no idea about quantum physics.

by f6v 5y ago

marginalia_nu 5y ago
> Can someone give a real example, since I have no idea about quantum physics. I have a degree in theoretical physics, and I'm pretty sure whoever wrote this press release does not. Like they are using some of the right words, but putting a lot of emphasis on stuff that isn't particularly new or interesting. This is as far as I can tell basic research. It's pretty far away from application. Although historically a lot of the QP research has benefited electronics, so dunno, maybe it'll eventually make for a new form of transistor or something. But that's just guessing.
arbitrage 5y ago
They key part I got was this: > Scientists had glimpsed these domain walls in quantum materials, but previously, they couldn’t reliably generate and analyze them. Once the UChicago physicists created the recipe to make and closely study the walls, they observed surprising behaviors. So what was achieved here was from one perspective very fundamental, but it also has big implications in enabling the field to move forward. Other people can now reliably create these meta-structures.
ArnoVW 5y ago
Flunked comp Sci, but I can give you my understanding. They have noticed a behavior of quantum systems, and they can now reproduce it. This is interesting because a) being able to reproduce it means you can study it, and thus possible better understand it. And b) it may allow you to better manipulate at the quantum level and thus learn other things. Who knows, perhaps it will prove something so useful that a whole now era of human history is based on it (like the tunnel effect gave us transistors).. but no-one is saying that.
__MatrixMan__ 5y ago
It strikes me as the analogous to the invention (in semiconductors) of the diode. Why would you want to have a one way valve for electrons? It's not immediately apparent but it's one more building block in the set.

They keep blabbering about “future technology” in the article. Can someone give a real example, since I have no idea about quantum physics.

by f6v 5y ago

They keep blabbering about “future technology” in the article. Can someone give a real example, since I have no idea about quantum physics.

marginalia_nu 5y ago

> Can someone give a real example, since I have no idea about quantum physics. I have a degree in theoretical physics, and I'm pretty sure whoever wrote this press release does not. Like they are using some of the right words, but putting a lot of emphasis on stuff that isn't particularly new or interesting. This is as far as I can tell basic research. It's pretty far away from application. Although historically a lot of the QP research has benefited electronics, so dunno, maybe it'll eventually make for a new form of transistor or something. But that's just guessing.

arbitrage 5y ago

They key part I got was this: > Scientists had glimpsed these domain walls in quantum materials, but previously, they couldn’t reliably generate and analyze them. Once the UChicago physicists created the recipe to make and closely study the walls, they observed surprising behaviors. So what was achieved here was from one perspective very fundamental, but it also has big implications in enabling the field to move forward. Other people can now reliably create these meta-structures.

ArnoVW 5y ago

Flunked comp Sci, but I can give you my understanding. They have noticed a behavior of quantum systems, and they can now reproduce it. This is interesting because a) being able to reproduce it means you can study it, and thus possible better understand it. And b) it may allow you to better manipulate at the quantum level and thus learn other things. Who knows, perhaps it will prove something so useful that a whole now era of human history is based on it (like the tunnel effect gave us transistors).. but no-one is saying that.

__MatrixMan__ 5y ago

It strikes me as the analogous to the invention (in semiconductors) of the diode. Why would you want to have a one way valve for electrons? It's not immediately apparent but it's one more building block in the set.