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Implementing topologically ordered time crystals on quantum processors

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2024-11-25 06:00:02

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

In a new study published in Nature Communications, scientists have implemented the topologically ordered time crystal on a quantum processor for the first time.

This marks a new era for quantum technology, since time crystals have been traditionally challenging to combine with topological order. However, achieving this combination adds stability and robustness to the system, a requirement for quantum computing applications.

Time crystals are a recent introduction to science, with the idea first proposed in 2012 by Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek. It is a quantum system that can naturally oscillate between states without the need for a continuous external energy source.

In simple terms, time crystals are a type of material in which the atoms are arranged periodically in time, rather than space, which is how ordinary crystals (like diamonds) are.