"MQV-Einblicke": inside a quantum optics laboratory
Visitors explored the topic of quantum computing with neutral atoms.
In the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, the member institutes of the Munich Quantum Valley Initiative opened their doors to the public. The first regular event in the series “MQV-Einblicke – 100 Years of Quantum Science and What We Are Researching Today” took place at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics (MPQ). During an introductory lecture and a subsequent tour of the quantum optics laboratories, the audience gained insights into quantum simulation and quantum computing with neutral atoms.
Under the theme “Quantum Simulation and Computing with Neutral Atoms – How We Reconstruct Quantum Mechanical Models in the Laboratory,” the visitors had the rare opportunity to visit a quantum optics laboratory and see the complex experimental setups up close. To begin, Maximilian Ammenwerth, a doctoral student at MPQ, explained the basics of quantum computing using neutral atoms. How can individual atoms be captured with laser light, controlled, and manipulated to carry out calculations? And how can this help solve complex physical phenomena that are based on the interaction of many particles, such as the binding behavior of large molecules, magnetism, or superconductivity?
In a 45-minute, engaging lecture, Maximilian answered these questions in a clear and understandable way, making the concepts accessible even to participants with no prior expertise in the field. “It was the first time I truly understood what this subject is about,” said one participant. “It really was a fantastic lecture.”
After the presentation, participants toured various laboratories at MPQ in small groups, where they had the opportunity to ask the researchers additional questions. The abstract topics from the lecture became much more tangible in this setting. The combination of the presentation and the laboratory tour was particularly well received. “It was amazing to see the real laboratories,” noted one participant. Another added, “Being in the lab gave me a much better feel for the topic.”
The lasers, which are so central to the work at MPQ, were also highlighted. A special focus was the world’s first laser, which MPQ has received on loan as a unique exhibit. Visitors not only experienced cutting-edge research firsthand but also had the chance to see a historical milestone in physics up close.
