Quantum mechanics research wins 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics

after the announcement Svante Paabo as Winner of the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine last Monday (3), the team responsible for the award announced the winners Nobel Prize Physics 2022: Scientists Alain Aspect, John Clauser and Anton Zeilinger.

Three researchers conducted innovative experiments using entangled quantum stateson what Even if the two particles are separated from each other, they behave as one.. The research opens up more possibilities for existing applications of quantum mechanics, such as quantum computers, quantum networks, among other quantum systems.

NEWS FLASH:
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award 2022. #Nobel Prize In Physics to Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser and Anton Zeilinger. pic.twitter.com/RI4CJv6JhZ

— Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 4, 2022

Quantum mechanics allows two or more particles to exist in a kind of shared state called quantum entanglement, regardless of the distances between them. For this reason, scientists around the world are constantly arguing about this quantum state, which is the goal of Nobel Prize-winning work in Physics.

The idea of ​​quantum entanglement is that when something happens in one particle, it will happen in the other – in fact, no verification is needed since the result will be the same.

“Tangled quantum mechanical pairs can be likened to a machine that throws balls of opposite colors in opposite directions. When Bob catches a ball and sees it is black, he immediately knows that Alice has caught a white one. In a theory using hidden variables, the balls always contained hidden information about which color to show. However, quantum mechanics says the balls are gray until someone looks at them, at which point one randomly turns white and the other black.

Nobel Prize in Physics

As with other categories, the Nobel Prize in Physics sends invitations to thousands of researchers a year before the actual selection – registration is not possible, participation only occurs after the researcher receives an invitation. Meanwhile, the award committee reviews each case and decides which work will be the winner.

“It has become increasingly clear that a new kind of quantum technology is emerging. “We can see that it is of great importance for laureates to work with complex states, beyond fundamental questions of interpretation of quantum mechanics,” said Anders Irbäck, Chair of the Physics Department of the Nobel Committee.

The three winners will share a prize of 10 million Swedish kronor (approximately R$4.7 million at current price).