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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

New quantum universe

When I bought this book, I thought this book is devoted to theoretical aspects of quantum mechanics, but actually it is focused mainly on its applications in technology. The authors discuss the basic concepts of quantum physics briefly; its history and incompatibility with classical physics and then discuss various applications.

Quantum mechanics teaches us as how atoms and subatomic particles behave and explain the fundamental process involved in making elements and stars. The classical physics explains the physical reality of larger forms of matter that includes molecules, life forms, planets, stars and galaxies. But unlike classical physics, the physical reality of quantum world is not easily comprehended. The wave-particle duality of matter brings forth strangeness of quantum physics that includes Heisenberg uncertainty principle, quantized states of matter, quantum entanglement, quantum tunneling, quantum jumps, etc.

The authors have avoided the mathematical and philosophical issues behind the theory and focused on its application that paved the way for opportunities and advancement in technology. Manipulating the matter at the quantum level has lead to the nanotechnology and quantum computing. This has lead to many exciting possibilities in computer engineering and information processing. Instead of bits of information stored in "1" or "0" in the present day classical computers; quantum teleportation allow the algorithms using quantum bits called qubits that simultaneously contain "1" and "0" by quantum entanglement. Quantum teleportation is a process in which quantum information is destroyed so that it may be transferred simultaneously to another location. This has been proposed as a way to create quantum communication networks and quantum computing protocols. Quantum information cannot be copied, but quantum cryptography has a high degree of security.

Quantum tunneling has offered tremendous opportunities in fiber optics, invention of scanning electron microscope, and nuclear fission reactions and atomic weapons. Semiconductors and superconductivities of some of the elements at low temperatures have lead to the discovery of superconductors and strange properties of matter that are used in technology. If you are interested in knowing what quantum mechanics can do to shape the future technology, then this book is very helpful.

Reference:
The New Quantum Universe, Tony Hey and Patrick Walters, Cambridge University Press (2003)

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