Quantum Computing with Michele Burrello

How does a theoretical physicist design beautiful quantum systems?

In this episode I learn how a theoretical physicist designs quantum devices and explores their physical characteristics. These quantum devices can be used as building blocks for quantum computers to solve some class of problems, like cryptography and logistics. While I was on the search for practical applications, I learn that the motivation for pure research often lies in the beauty of the system that is studied and exploring the border between "what is known and what is unknown". 

Michele Burrello⁠ is currently an Associate professor at the Niels Bohr Institute of Copenhagen, Denmark. He works on condensed matter theory and applications of quantum systems.

He is an Italian physicist and studied at the Scuola Normale of Pisa (Italy) and got his PhD in statistical physics at SISSA (Trieste, Italy) in 2011. He previously worked at the University of Leiden (The Netherlands), the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics (Garching, Germany). 

For more information, you can read the following:

• Unbreakable fibre network connection established between DTU and Niels Bohr Institute
• Quantum key distribution using deterministic single-photon sources over a field-installed fibre link

2:28 Meet Michele Burrello                                   

5:32 Discussing what a theoretical physicist does          

6: 37 What is a ‘platform’ and ‘device’ within quantum physic                                                                                   

8:39 Basic research and theoretical aspects                                                                                 

9:00 How basic research could support commercial progress                                                                               

10:24 How ideas could transfer to application       

14:18 ones and zeros… how does information processing change                                                                                     

16:00 What is a ‘platform’ at the level of nano electronics      

22:33 Discussing problems quantum computers could solve                                                                                       

27:00 Error correction                                       

31:12 Michele’s interests in studying hybrid systems                 

33:10 Other branches of quantum technologies       

35:00 A feeling of magic