(ImpressiveEngineering)
Researchers led by Professor of Physics at the University of Rochester, Andrew Jordan have conceived a refrigerator that could cool atoms to below 459 degrees Fahrenheit. This fridge, based on the property of superconductivity, would facilitate and enhance the performance of quantum sensors or circuits for ultrafast quantum computers.
Researchers believe all metals become superconductors if their temperatures can be lowered enough. The tricky part is knowing the exact ‘critical temperature’ for each metal, as these all differ.
This superconducting quantum fridge would create an environment where researchers could change materials into a superconductive state – for example changing a material to a gas or liquid.
Instead of food storage, the superconducting quantum refrigerator could be used to store qubits, the basic units of quantum computers. They could also be used to cool quantum sensors which measure light extremely efficiently and are used for studying stars and other galaxies, and they could also be used to develop better imaging in MRI machines.
Superconducting Quantum Fridge Could Store Qubits or Cool Quantum Sensors
