IPS Meeting Day 2

Some highlights from Day 2 of the IPS Meeting:

• Prof. Javier G. Fernandez (SUTD) gave a plenary talk about bio-inspired manufacturing, including the 3D printing of low density yet strong structures inspired by cellulose and chitin. His main take-home message was that nature finds a way to make the most of available materials using intricate multi-scale design principles; details from the nanoscale up to hundreds of micrometers all contribute to bulk structural properties. We need to follow a similar paradigm to develop next-generation sustainable materials, and for colonies on other planets to be viable.
• Prof. José Ignacio Latorre (NUS) covered the fundamentals and future of quantum technologies in his plenary talk. He emphasised how quantum algorithms will be very different from the classical algorithms we are more familiar with. For example, computing 2 x 3 = 6 is easy for a classical computer, but such a computation cannot be performed using unitary quantum evolution (making it hard for quantum computers) because it is a non-invertible operation. For example, since 1 x 6 = 6 as well, the inverse transformation is ill-defined. Another important principle is the no-cloning theorem, meaning that it is impossible to save or copy quantum data. Finally, measurements are intrinsically random. These differences make it hard to find useful quantum algorithms. The known quantum algorithms with exponential speed-ups compared to classical algorithms are specific to problems with special structure (such as periodicity), which allows quantum interference to be tailored to find the solution faster.
• Prof. Cesare Soci (NTU) talked about the fabrication of superconducting single photon detectors and efforts to develop detectors for infrared frequencies using microbridge designs. Conventional nanowire detectors are based on an incident photon breaking a Cooper pair, resulting in a cascade of Joule heating which destroys the superconducting state. On the other hand, in microbridge detectors the incident photon creates vortex-antivortex pairs in the superconducting order parameter; this differing mechanism allows for designs more compatible with lower frequency detectors. 
• Ximeng Zheng (NTU) discussed hollow core fibre-based atomic vapor cells. The idea is that by placing atoms inside the hollow fibre core, the strong light confinement can be used to enhance the light-matter interactions. One challenge is that since the fibre core is so small, it takes a long time (weeks or months!) for the atoms to be loaded into the fibre. On the other hand, once they are in there they can remain for a few years...
• Prof. Murray Barret (NUS) gave an overview of his team's efforts to integrate ion clocks into silicon chips, an essential step towards making them more practical and affordable. For example, commercially-available ion traps cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, whereas mass-produced integrated ion chips could be as cheap as $350 each. But getting comparable performance (i.e. timing precision of 10^-18!) in integrated devices is challenging, due to the shallower confining potentials and stronger thermal effects.
• The QEP 2.0 panel discussion emphasised the need for outreach and involvement of stakeholders and potential industry end-users in order to discover more potential use-cases of quantum technologies. Development of open-source frameworks such as QIBO will be essential to get full value out of future quantum devices.
  

Overall, despite all the social distancing requirements it was an enjoyable conference. Definitely being in the room watching the talks live makes it easier to stay focused on the presentations and avoid distractions. Watching some of the presentations (particularly the poster pitch session) was a good reminder that, when presenting your work to a general physics audience, less is more. It is hard to distill your months or years of work down to a few minutes, but essential to get your message across. In hindsight, even after cutting my talk heavily I still tried to include too much. Something to remember for the next conference...