Erlangen 2018 – wissenschaftliches Programm

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SYAD: Symposium SAMOP Dissertation-Prize 2018

SYAD 1: SAMOP Dissertation-Prize

SYAD 1.1: Hauptvortrag

Dienstag, 6. März 2018, 10:30–11:00, B Audimax

Integrated photonic quantum walks in complex lattice structures — •Markus Graefe — Institute of Applied Physics, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Germany

The dynamics of quantum objects on certain trajectories – so called quantum walks (QWs) – are a fundamental concept, which quantum computing and -simulation are based on. Notably, billions of years before scientists discovered the potential of QWs for quantum technology, the blind watchmaker of evolution harnessed this mechanism for the most essential biochemical process found in nature: the highly-efficient energy transport in light-harvesting molecules during photosynthesis is enabled by QWs, whereas its complexity is still not fully unraveled.

Since photons offer the unique combination of large coherence and insensitivity to environmental influences they are ideally suited as quantum walkers. In addition, laser-written waveguide structures embedded in a small monolithic glass chip, benefit from high robustness, ultra-stability, and miniaturization. Both taken together offer a versatile platform to investigate QWs in almost arbitrary 3D networks.

On the one hand, such systems can be utilized to resolve fundamental questions of quantum physics, including the generation and application of highly-entangled states. On the other hand, interdisciplinary topics like the influence of decoherence on energy transport can be studied in detail. This way, it is clearly demonstrated that decoherence does not inevitably hinder quantum transport, but rather significantly enhances it. Thus, this platform contributes to elucidate the highly-efficient energy transport during photosynthesis.