Lecture by Aarhus University: Quantum Computers

Klaus Mølmer, professor of quantum physics at Aarhus University, introduces the fundamental concepts of quantum physics and the so-called "quantum revolution" - a wave of new technologies that exploit the most paradoxical features of the atomic world. Atomic particles can apparently exist in multiple places at once, and measurements on them always yield random results. Klaus Mølmer and his colleagues have developed methods to control this behavior, which are now used in leading laboratories worldwide.

Quantum physics revolutionized physics in the early 20th century, and its predictions have since been confirmed with great precision in both physics and chemistry. The lecture covers existing quantum-based technologies and looks ahead to the possibilities that fully functional quantum computers could open. Since the 1990s, both Denmark and internationally have invested large sums in the race to develop quantum computers that use atomic quantum states to perform calculations on many numbers simultaneously.

This is an updated version of a lecture from spring 2020.