Science, behind social revolutions:
what’s next? Quantum technology
Javier Prior
Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena Quantum Many Body Systems’s group
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Brief history of Humanity
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Sadi Carnot
1796/1832
James Joule
1818/1889
James Watt
1736/1819
Thermodynamics
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Industrial revolution
Robert E. Lucas, Nobel Prize winner in economics science, "For the first time in
history, the living standards of the masses of ordinary people have begun to
undergo sustained growth ... Nothing remotely like this economic behavior is
mentioned by the classical economists, even as a theoretical possibility.”
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Industrial revolution
Robert E. Lucas, Nobel Prize winner in economics science, "For the first time in
history, the living standards of the masses of ordinary people have begun to
undergo sustained growth ... Nothing remotely like this economic behavior is
mentioned by the classical economists, even as a theoretical possibility.”
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Industrial revolution
Robert E. Lucas, Nobel Prize winner in economics science, "For the first time in
history, the living standards of the masses of ordinary people have begun to
undergo sustained growth ... Nothing remotely like this economic behavior is
mentioned by the classical economists, even as a theoretical possibility.”
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Industrial revolution
Robert E. Lucas, Nobel Prize winner in economics science, "For the first time in
history, the living standards of the masses of ordinary people have begun to
undergo sustained growth ... Nothing remotely like this economic behavior is
mentioned by the classical economists, even as a theoretical possibility.”
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Industrial revolution
Robert E. Lucas, Nobel Prize winner in economics science, "For the first time in
history, the living standards of the masses of ordinary people have begun to
undergo sustained growth ... Nothing remotely like this economic behavior is
mentioned by the classical economists, even as a theoretical possibility.”
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Nicolas Otto
1832/1891
Rudolf Diesel
1858/1913
Thermodynamics
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Nicolas Otto
1832/1891
Rudolf Diesel
1858/1913
German car industry
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Nicolas Otto
1832/1891
Rudolf Diesel
1858/1913
German car industry
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Michael Faraday
1791/1867
James Maxwell
1831/1879
Electromagnetism
Thomas Edison
1847/1931
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XX century revolution
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
XX century revolution
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
XX century revolution
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
XX century revolution
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
XX century revolution
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
XX century revolution
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Max Planck
1858/1947
Quantum physics
Erwin Schrodinger
1887/1961
Richard Feynman
1918/1988
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Computational power
Communication capacity
Space/Time Measurement precision
Energy efficiency 1.6% p.a. on average at the world level between 1990 and 2006
Exponential Growth in Technology
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Measurement of time gains in precision exponentially
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Measurement of time gains in precision exponentially
Essen & Parry @ National Physical Laboratory 1955
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Measurement of time gains in precision exponentially
Essen & Parry @ National Physical Laboratory 1955
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Measurement of time gains in precision exponentially
Essen & Parry @ National Physical Laboratory 1955
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Measurement of time gains in precision exponentially
Essen & Parry @ National Physical Laboratory 1955
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Computer grow faster exponentially
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Computer grow faster exponentially
Kelvin’s tide predictor 1872
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Computer grow faster exponentially
Kelvin’s tide predictor 1872
Z3 Zuse 1941
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Computer grow faster exponentially
Kelvin’s tide predictor 1872
Z3 Zuse 1941
Wilkes EDSAC 1949
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Computer grow faster exponentially
Kelvin’s tide predictor 1872
Wilkes EDSAC 1949
Z3 Zuse 1941
Commodore 64
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Computer grow faster exponentially
Kelvin’s tide predictor 1872
Wilkes EDSAC 1949
Z3 Zuse 1941
Commodore 64
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
cm
A
Quantum technology
Quantum Noise
mm
nm
Components grow smaller exponentially
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Components grow smaller exponentially
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Secret Communication
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Secret Communication
KEY 0 0 1 0 1 1 0
?
KEY 0 0 1 0 1 1 0
miles away
How to establish key that only Alice and Bob know ?
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Secret Communication
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Secret Communication
Quantum World:
Charles’s measurement of
quantum signal causes
perturbation and can be
detected.
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Secret Communication
Zeilinger Space Quest
Gisin
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Wave-particle duality
Intensity
Time
High intensity:
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Intensity
Time
High intensity:
Wave-particle duality
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Intensity
Time
High intensity:
Wave-particle duality
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Intensity
Time
High intensity:
Wave-particle duality
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Clicks
Time
Low intensity:
Light comes in little portions Photons
Wave-particle duality
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Clicks
Time
Clicks
Time
Wave-particle duality
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Clicks
Time
Clicks
Time
?
Wave-particle duality
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Clicks
Time
Clicks
Time
Photons can be in superposition
Interference
Wave-particle duality
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Wave-particle duality
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Clicks
Time
Clicks
Time
Wave-particle duality
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Take home messages:
When measured quantum systems exhibit particle character
When evolving freely quantum systems exhibit wave character
Measurements that acquire information, inevitably destroy
coherence and perturb the quantum systems.
Wave-particle duality
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Typical spatial scale [m]
10 -11 10 -10 10 -9 10 -8 10 -6 10 -5 10 -4 10 -2
10 -2
10 -3
10 -4
10 -6
10 -8
10 -12
10 -14
10 -1
Typ
ica
l ti
me
sca
le [
s]
Typical spatial scale [m]
10 -11 10 -10 10 -9 10 -8 10 -6 10 -5 10 -4 10 -2
10 -2
10 -3
10 -4
10 -6
10 -8
10 -12
10 -14
10 -1
Typ
ica
l ti
me
sca
le [
s]
Function
Quantum Classical
?
Tools
© Vaziri
Hierachies in Biology: From classical to quantum world
Can quantum
coherence be
relevant for
biological function?
Requires tools for
studying biological
structure and
function at
unprecedented
spatial and temporal
resolution
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Typical spatial scale [m]
10 -11 10 -10 10 -9 10 -8 10 -6 10 -5 10 -4 10 -2
10 -2
10 -3
10 -4
10 -6
10 -8
10 -12
10 -14
10 -1
Typ
ica
l ti
me
sca
le [
s]
Typical spatial scale [m]
10 -11 10 -10 10 -9 10 -8 10 -6 10 -5 10 -4 10 -2
10 -2
10 -3
10 -4
10 -6
10 -8
10 -12
10 -14
10 -1
Typ
ica
l ti
me
sca
le [
s]
Function
Quantum Classical
?
Tools
© Vaziri
Hierachies in Biology: From classical to quantum world
Can quantum
coherence be
relevant for
biological function?
Requires tools for
studying biological
structure and
function at
unprecedented
spatial and temporal
resolution
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Photosynthesis
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Photosynthesis
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Photosynthesis
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Photosynthesis
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Photosynthesis
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Photosynthesis
Charge separation
Electrons for chemistry
Ex
cito
n t
ransp
ort
Chlorosome
RC
Exciton
FMO BChl
a
1
2
3 4
7
6
5
Water soluble
Crystal structure
Transport time ~ 5-6 ps
Fenna-Matthews-Olsen complex
RC
Exciton
FMO BChl
a
1
2
3 4
7
6
5
Water soluble
Crystal structure
Transport time ~ 5-6 ps
e -
Exciton
Pigment-
Protein
complex
Reaction
centre
Chromophore
(pigment)
Antenna Photon
Fenna-Matthews-Olsen complex
Panitchayangkoon et al. PNAS 107:29
(2010)
Long-lasting coherences in FMO
Inter-exciton coherence times > 1.8 ps (77K)
0.6 ps (277K)
Room temperature coherences
Higher plants (LHCII) -
Calhoun et al. J. Phys. Chem. B, 113 (51), 2009
Marine algae -
Collini et al. Nature 463, 644-647 2010
How are inter-exciton coherences protected?
Ground-exciton coherence times < 150 fs
Panitchayangkoon et al. PNAS 107:29
(2010)
Long-lasting coherences in FMO
Inter-exciton coherence times > 1.8 ps (77K)
0.6 ps (277K)
Room temperature coherences
Higher plants (LHCII) -
Calhoun et al. J. Phys. Chem. B, 113 (51), 2009
Marine algae -
Collini et al. Nature 463, 644-647 2010
How are inter-exciton coherences protected?
Ground-exciton coherence times < 150 fs
Panitchayangkoon et al. PNAS 107:29
(2010)
Long-lasting coherences in FMO
Inter-exciton coherence times > 1.8 ps (77K)
0.6 ps (277K)
Room temperature coherences
Higher plants (LHCII) -
Calhoun et al. J. Phys. Chem. B, 113 (51), 2009
Marine algae -
Collini et al. Nature 463, 644-647 2010
How are inter-exciton coherences protected?
Ground-exciton coherence times < 150 fs
Environmental interactions
|i>
|g>
E
Environmental interactions
J
Uncorrelated
Fluctuations
|g>
|i2>
|g>
|i1>
Environmental interactions
J
Uncorrelated
Fluctuations
|g>
|i2>
|g>
|i1>
Long-lasting coherences in FMO
Inter-exciton coherence times > 1.8 ps (77K)
0.6 ps (277K)
How are inter-exciton coherences protected?
Ground-exciton coherence times < 150 fs
Javier Prior, Alex Chin, et al. Phys. Rev. Lett.
105, 050404, (2010).
Alex Chin, Javier Prior, et al. Nature Physics
9, 113 (2013).
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Can we improve solar cells
based on this idea ?
More generally: Adding the right kind of noise, to the right kind
of nano-structure can improve its performance.
Conclusions
MURCIA, 24th Oct 2013
Thanks
Javier Prior
Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena Quantum Many Body Systems’s group
Funded by: