Prof. Lomonaco talks on Quantum Knots, Quantum Braids...

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 17:41:00 -0400
computer-science, news, research, talks

Full Title: Prof. Lomonaco talks on Quantum Knots, Quantum Braids and Quantum Computing

CSEE processor Samuel J. Lomonaco is giving a talk on his research on quantum computing as part of the Joint Quantum Institute seminar series sponsored by UMCP and NIST. The talk will be given at 12:30pm Monday 17 October, in room 1201 in the Physics building at College Park.

Quantum knots and quantum braids: Their possible application to superfluid vortices and to topological quantum computing in optical lattices.

In this talk, we show how to reconstruct knot theory in such a way that it is intimately related to quantum physics. In particular, we give a blueprint for creating a quantum system that has the dynamic behavior of a closed knotted piece of rope moving in 3-space. Within this framework, knot invariants become physically measurable quantum observables, knot moves become unitary transformations, with knot dynamics determined by the Schroedinger equation. The same approach can also be applied to the theory of braids. Toward the end of the talk, we look at possible applications to superfluid vortices and to topological quantum computing in optical lattices.

For more information, see the entry on the Joint Quantum Institute calendar.