The Center for Quantum Nanoscience was founded in 2017 as part of efforts for South Korea to expand basic science research. Classified as an Extramural Center of the

Institute for Basic Science The Institute for Basic Science (IBS; ) is a Korean government-funded research institute that conducts basic science research and relevant pure basic research. Comprising approximately 30 research centers with more than 60 research groups ac ...

, it is hosted by

Ewha Womans University Ewha Womans University () is a private women's research university in Seoul, South Korea. It was originally founded as Ewha Haktang on May 31, 1886, by missionary Mary F. Scranton. Currently, Ewha Womans University is one of the world's largest f ...

in Seoul, South Korea. Their research focuses on exploring quantum properties of atoms and molecules on surfaces and interfaces and long-term goals of quantum sensing and

quantum computation A quantum computer is a computer that exploits quantum mechanical phenomena. On small scales, physical matter exhibits properties of both particles and waves, and quantum computing takes advantage of this behavior using specialized hardware. C ...

in those areas. Their dedicated building started construction in 2018 and officially opened in 2019 during the IBS Conference on Quantum Nanoscience. In 2020, the Research Cooperation Building received the Excellence Prize of the 2020 Korean Architecture Award. The center received the highest grade possible in the 5th year performance evaluation.

Research results

Within two years of their founding, several published outcomes indicate growing leadership in the exploding field of quantum nanoscience. For example, they reduced digital memory down to a single

holmium Holmium is a chemical element; it has symbol Ho and atomic number 67. It is a rare-earth element and the eleventh member of the lanthanide series. It is a relatively soft, silvery, fairly corrosion-resistant and malleable metal. Like many other ...

atom on MgO substrate using a

scanning tunneling microscope A scanning tunneling microscope (STM) is a type of scanning probe microscope used for imaging surfaces at the atomic level. Its development in 1981 earned its inventors, Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer, then at IBM Zürich, the Nobel Prize in ...

. At time of their publishing, commercially available magnetic memory devices require approximately one million atoms to record the same amount of data. This storage miniaturization has additional potential to serve as the basis of quantum computing. Researchers also coupled atom's nuclear spin and its electron counterpart, which resulted in measuring the nuclear spin of single atoms of iron and titanium with an improvement of energy resolution by a fact of 10,000. This level of control could lead to a computational base unit of quantum computing. Working in collaboration with IBM Almaden, they were able to perform

MRI Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to generate pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes inside the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and rad ...

scans on individual atoms.

Research directions and goals

The center has stated their desire to achieve full control of quantum states of atoms and molecules on clean surfaces and near interfaces which would allow usage of high-sensitivity quantum sensors and the usage of single atoms and molecules as quantum bits for computation applications. Another goal is to create a theoretical framework on how the quantum properties of atoms and molecules change from gas to solid-state environments and their interactions with conduction electrons and understand the transition from coherent quantum to more classical systems while in solid-state environment. The research center also hosted the first international conference on quantum nanoscience in Seoul in 2019.

Awards

* 2018:

American Physical Society The American Physical Society (APS) is a not-for-profit membership organization of professionals in physics and related disciplines, comprising nearly fifty divisions, sections, and other units. Its mission is the advancement and diffusion of ...

, Joseph F. Keithley Award For Advances in Measurement Science for Advances in Measurement Science *2018: Foresight Institute Feynman Prize: For advances in manipulating atoms and small molecules on surfaces and employing them for data storage and computation *2018: Outstanding National R&D Performances in 2018 (),

Ministry of Science and ICT The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT; ) is a ministry of the government of South Korea. It succeeded the former Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning. "ICT" stands for "Information and Communication Technology". The headquarters was origi ...

* 2018: Max-Auwaerter Award,

Austrian Physical Society The Austrian Physical Society () is the national physical society of Austria. History Until 1938, Austrian physicists were part of the German Physical Society. On 13 December 1950, it was decided to found a separate society for Austria and Fritz ...

- Fabio Donati

References

External links

* (English) *
New Building Teaser & Construction Time Lapse 연구협력관 타임랩스 - YouTube video

Nature Index - Center for Quantum Nanoscience

나는 1저자다: ⑥"외국인 연구자를 위한 일자리 정보 부족"
(Korean) {{DEFAULTSORT:Center for Quantum Nanoscience Research institutes established in 2017 2017 establishments in South Korea Research institutes in South Korea Organizations based in Seoul Ewha Womans University Institute for Basic Science

Research results

Research directions and goals

Awards

See also

References

External links