Entanglement from the quantum internet to quantum neuroscience

从量子互联网到量子神经科学的纠缠

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-03945
• 负责人: Simon, Christoph
• 金额: $ 3.64万
• 依托单位: University of Calgary
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=715483
• 关键词: Entanglement; quantum; internet; neuroscience

Entanglement is a unique feature of quantum physics. In classical physics the dynamics of a composite system can always be understood in terms of its parts. In contrast, entangled quantum systems have to be thought of as one integrated whole, even if they are kilometers apart. This is the foundation for new quantum applications. The long-term vision is a “quantum internet” based on entanglement which promises secure quantum communication, enhanced precision for various sensing applications ranging from atomic clock networks to better telescopes, and classically unattainable computing power. One main part of the present project is to design blueprints and key hardware elements for such a quantum internet. My focus is on solid-state architectures where the spins of individual quantum systems serve for local quantum information processing, while photons serve as information carriers between those spins. (Spin is a unique quantum feature similar to classical angular momentum, and photons are the elementary particles of light.) Spins and photons are also the key elements in the second main part of this project, which is dedicated to "quantum neuroscience", that is to the question whether quantum entanglement could play a role in the brain. There are two main motivations for investigating this possibility. On the one hand, the holistic character of entanglement provides a unique potential solution to the question how our unified conscious experience arises from the dynamics of myriads of individual molecules in our brains (the “binding problem” of consciousness). On the other hand, the fact that quantum technology has unique capabilities makes it natural to ask whether nature may also have found a way to harness these effects for information processing. It is natural to consider spins and photons in this context because they can preserve their quantum properties even in condensed-matter environments at high temperatures. As a consequence of this commonality in the underlying physical systems, there are significant synergies between the two parts of my research program. The proposed research will lead to new proposals and proof-of-principle experiments for the design of the future quantum internet based on entanglement, which will enable many desirable quantum applications that will enhance our privacy, our ability to sense many important parts of our environment, and our computing power. This research will also give rise to new proposals and experiments addressing the question whether quantum effects such as entanglement could play a role in the brain, which may bring us one step closer to understanding the mystery of consciousness.

纠缠是量子物理学的一个独特特征。在经典物理学中，一个复合系统的动力学总是可以从它的各个部分来理解。相比之下，纠缠的量子系统必须被认为是一个完整的整体，即使它们相距几公里。这是新量子应用的基础。长期愿景是基于纠缠的“量子互联网”，它有望实现安全的量子通信，提高从原子钟网络到更好的望远镜等各种传感应用的精度，以及传统上无法实现的计算能力。目前项目的一个主要部分是为这样一个量子互联网设计蓝图和关键硬件元素。我的重点是固态体系结构，其中单个量子系统的自旋用于局部量子信息处理，而光子则作为这些自旋之间的信息载体。(Spin是一种类似于经典角动量的独特量子特征，光子是光的基本粒子。 自旋和光子也是该项目第二个主要部分的关键元素，该部分致力于“量子神经科学”，即量子纠缠是否可以在大脑中发挥作用的问题。调查这种可能性有两个主要动机。一方面，纠缠的整体性特征为我们统一的意识体验如何从我们大脑中无数个体分子的动力学中产生（意识的“绑定问题”）提供了一个独特的潜在解决方案。另一方面，量子技术具有独特的能力，这使得人们很自然地会问，大自然是否也找到了一种利用这些效应进行信息处理的方法。在这种背景下考虑自旋和光子是很自然的，因为它们即使在高温的凝聚态环境中也可以保持它们的量子特性。由于基础物理系统的这种共性，我的研究计划的两个部分之间存在显着的协同作用。 拟议的研究将为基于纠缠的未来量子互联网的设计带来新的建议和原理验证实验，这将使许多理想的量子应用能够增强我们的隐私，我们感知环境许多重要部分的能力以及我们的计算能力。这项研究还将提出新的建议和实验，解决量子效应（如纠缠）是否可以在大脑中发挥作用的问题，这可能使我们更接近理解意识的奥秘。