Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis have announced a major step in the development of quantum computing and precision measurement technologies. This was made possible thanks to a new type of time quasicrystal, a special form of matter that can perform stable oscillations in a given cycle with virtually zero energy consumption.
In order to achieve this structure, the scientists used a millimeter-sized diamond fragment, which they treated with high-energy nitrogen rays. This allowed them to form microscopic defects, or vacancies, in the crystal lattice of the diamond. The vacancies formed the basis for a stable time quasicrystal capable of storing quantum information.
One of the authors of the study, physicist Chong Zu, says that time quasicrystals are similar to traditional crystals such as quartz or diamond, albeit with a fundamental difference: their structure is periodically repeated not just in space but also in time. In other words, the state of these quasicrystals changes in a cyclical manner with high regularity. The researchers have already recorded hundreds of stable oscillations in practice, and these processes can continue indefinitely in theory. Zu compares the behavior of these structures to a clock that does not require an external energy source.
Graduate student Guanghui He, a co-author of the study, notes that time quasicrystals have a high degree of order but do not follow strict symmetries. This gives them potential for use in quantum sensors that can measure magnetic fields and other parameters accurately without recharging. They could also find application in ultra-precise clocks and new types of quantum memory, where stability and minimal energy loss are critical.
This study marks another step in the development of computing systems of the future, such as quantum supercomputers and energy-efficient data storage technologies.
