Northwestern Events Calendar

Apr
22
2016

Heilborn Lectures: Quantum computers and Schrödinger’s cat

When: Friday, April 22, 2016
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM CT

Where: Technological Institute, Ryan Auditorium, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208 map it

Audience: Faculty/Staff - Student - Public - Post Docs/Docs - Graduate Students

Contact: Pamela Villalovoz   (847) 491-3644

Group: Physics and Astronomy Special Events and Invited Talks

Category: Academic

Description:

Prof. David Wineland
Recipient of the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics
National Institute of Standards and Technology and the University of Colorado


"Quantum computers and Schrödinger’s cat"

Abstract: As the size of computer logic gates and memory elements approaches the atomic scale, we are forced to deal with the constraints imposed by the laws of quantum mechanics. However, we now also know that a computer based on quantum mechanics could solve certain problems that are intractable on conventional computers. Interestingly, if this device could be made on a large scale it would have the same characteristics as Erwin Schrödinger’s famous 1935 hypothetical cat that could be both dead and alive at the same time. I will briefly relate how our group at NIST became involved in these topics through our experiments on atomic ions, but these experiments only serve as examples of similar work being performed in many other laboratories around the world.




Keywords: Physcis, Astronomy, Heilborn

More Info Add to Calendar

Add Event To My Group:

Please sign-in