Innovations Into Success Summer 2016 | Page 41

Special Feature : Quantum Technology
NPL ' s helium dilution refrigerator , capable of reaching temperatures as low as 10 mK , which is used for research on single electron transport
At the QMI , we are developing Quantum Sensors which promise to dramatically improve the accuracy of measurements of fundamental forces and concepts like time , frequency , rotation , magnetic fields and gravity which will have a significant impact across a wide range of fields . We currently rely almost exclusively on GPS signals for navigation , and also the timing used for telecommunications and energy provision , but GPS can be vulnerable to interference . Quantum clocks , which use laser cooled atoms as highly regular pendulums , will provide a highly accurate alternative to GPS timing and navigation . In finance , the rise of high frequency trading – using algorithms to perform thousands of pre-programmed trades a second – requires high precision timestamps that can easily be met using quantum clocks . Quantum systems will provide accurate navigation without the need for a ‘ position fix ’. Set to be ready for military use in the next decade , quantum navigation sensors could one day be found in our personal devices , just like GPS chips are .
As well as improving our measurement of time , quantum sensors allow the ability to see ‘ through ’ barriers , enabling unprecedented views into the brain for dementia research and potentially allowing us to detect sinkholes , find archaeological treasures and discover untapped reserves of oil and gas underground . It is estimated that such sensors could enhance the value of the worldwide oil and gas industry by over £ 1.5 trillion , with the impact on the UK ’ s North Sea activity exceeding £ 22 billion .
In information processing , the introduction of quantum computing will enable users to solve problems that even the most powerful of today ' s supercomputers struggle with . The ability to handle unprecedented quantities of data will remove the time and cost-intensive trial and error nature of many new developments like the discovery of new drugs or materials by simulating different molecular designs using programmable software . The implications of this on the pharmaceutical sector alone will be transformative , saving millions .
In other sectors Quantum Communications promises to transform the security of data and transactions . With cyber security an increasing challenge – 90 per cent of large businesses have experienced an information security breach – and the sophistication of threats increasing , the introduction of ‘ unhackable ’ communications will be in demand across the financial , legal and healthcare sectors . Quantum Key Distribution , is already being tested to provide secure communications on existing infrastructure , and implementation of this technology is likely to be one of the first quantum technologies to be widely used .
New quantum systems will also require the development of much smaller and more robust components such as specialist lasers , high vacuum equipment , electronic control systems and photon detectors . The UK already has significant industrial capability in some of these areas , but the establishment of new emerging quantum technologies is vital in generating an effective national supply chain . Quantum technology device characterisation and performance validation is critical to achieving this .
With a new market also comes the need for new skills . If the UK is truly to become a world leader in quantum technologies , and secure a sizeable market share of the opportunities such technologies offer , it must also have world leading quantum skills . The QMI will also host a large number of PhD students in quantum technologies , building skills for the next generation of quantum scientists .
Quantum technologies , whilst unfamiliar to many , will undoubtedly transform all aspects of life in the coming decades . The UK is already a world leader in the research and development in this field , and the opening of the QMI will support the aspiration of the UK leading the world in the commercialisation of those extraordinary technologies too .
www . npl . co . uk / quantum-metrology-institute
Compact NPL strontium ion trap showing 1.5 mm diameter ring
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