Some mistake multidimensional sensors for 3D sensors, which are sensors that can accurately detect and model three-dimensional terrain and objects. In quantum physics, multidimensional sensors are something completely different. Quantum technologies bring increased accuracy that traditional sensing equipment is unable to provide.
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Quantum Illumination and Quantum Sensing
It is important to mention quantum illumination in this context. Employing a strong correlation between entangled photon pairs, quantum illumination enables a significant improvement in sensing remote targets under noisy background conditions.
Classical sensors are unable to filter out much of the background noise present, leading to inaccurate data. Quantum illumination and quantum sensing lead the topic neatly into the underlying technology used in quantum sensors; multidimensional hypercubes.
Quantum Devices: Multidimensional Hypercubes
Multidimensional hypercubes can be used for highly sensitive quantum sensors. Until 2001, there were only two classical states in quantum mechanics. Referencing Schrodinger’s theory, quantum states existed in only two superpositions (the dead/alive cat). Then in 2001, another superposition was discovered accidentally; the compass state. Instead of two, we now have four superposition, much like the four states of a compass.
Martin Ringbauer, from the University of Experimental Physics at the University of Innsbruck, uses the example of throwing a stone into water to highlight the differences as multiple ripples disperse and cause more ripples.
The example of the stone in the water, shows that even large stones cause fine patterns in the superposition of the waves. These can be considerably smaller than the stones that trigger them. The same applies to the stones that trigger them.
Martin Ringbauer, 2019
This same effect applies to quantum states. The corners of a multidimensional hypercube are a minimal size, but the quantum interference patterns become increasingly finer in relation to the dimension of the multidimensional hypercube.
When you look at the multidimensional hypercube, it becomes easier to see how and why it can aid quantum sensors in detecting more than classical sensing technology. The increased accuracy multidimensional hypercubes provide is eye-opening and almost limitless the more we learn about them.
Technology in multidimensional sensors can also benefit existing optical sensing devices used in medicine. For example, the 0s and 1s binary methods of understanding photon correlation do not take into account the complex and multidimensional landscape. It has degrees of freedom, including time and frequency, that traditional sensing technology cannot detect, let alone comprehend.
Even optical quantum sensors can achieve higher accuracy with less light. Single-photon detectors cannot cope and struggle to take images of multidimensional correlations. This is important for examining biological systems such as living cells, something that medical professionals have to treat carefully, and where quantum sensors come into their own.
Potential Applications of Multidimensional Sensors
Multidimensional sensors represent incredible real-world potential. Applying quantum technologies in medicine could be incredible for precise measurements in applications such as brain imaging.
The current magnetoencephalography (MEG) scanners rely on large heavy equipment that has to be cooled by liquid nitrogen or liquid helium. In reality, this means the technology cannot go near a person’s skull to measure brain activity, relying on distant measurements with the help of sensors. Using quantum-based multidimensional sensors could be incorporated into a helmet which can then be put on a human skull enabling doctors to improve measurement activity.
The benefits of multidimensional sensors could help improve Alzheimer’s and cancer treatments. Being able to observe time-sensitive effects in the body, such as the growth of cancerous tissue, is something that could radically change the way the disease is tackled.
With increased research projects and advancements in quantum computing, it is likely that multidimensional sensors will innovate many areas of the healthcare sector, as well as other applications in the future.
References and Further Reading
Physics.org (2019) How quantum technology could revolutionise the detection and treatment of diseases. [online] https://phys.org/news/2019-06-quantum-technology-revolutionise-treatment-diseases.html
Cornell University (2019) Multidimensional quantum illumination via direct measurement of spectro-temporal correlations [online] https://arxiv.org/abs/1909.09664
Innovating Origins (2019) Multidimensional hypercubes: Quantum physicists discover new atomic state [online] https://innovationorigins.com/multidimensional-hypercube-quantum-physicists-discover-new-atomic-state/
Agarwal, K., Hwang, S., Bartnik, A., Buchele, N., Mishra, A. and Cho, J., (2018) Small‐Scale Biological and Artificial Multidimensional Sensors for 3D Sensing. Small, 14(35), p.1801145. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/smll.201801145
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