May 26, 2016
Doubling down on Schrödinger’s cat
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: computing, particle physics, quantum physics
Could Yale physicists finally give Schrödinger’s cat a second box to play in proving the superposition of states.
Yale physicists have given Schrödinger’s famous cat a second box to play in, and the result may help further the quest for reliable quantum computing.
Schrödinger’s cat is a well-known paradox that applies the concept of superposition in quantum physics to objects encountered in everyday life. The idea is that a cat is placed in a sealed box with a radioactive source and a poison that will be triggered if an atom of the radioactive substance decays. Quantum physics suggests that the cat is both alive and dead (a superposition of states), until someone opens the box and, in doing so, changes the quantum state.