Simulating noise-assisted quantum network with cold atoms

Quantum mechanics rules the behaviour of atoms and molecules. It usually becomes less relevant for bigger physical systems, and this is why we do not directly observe quantum behaviour in our daily life. It is therefore with surprise that researchers looking at energy transport in biological system, for instance during photosynthesis, observed that it seems to draw from properties that belong to both the quantum and the classical worlds.

Directly studying these energy transport networks in biological systems is challenging, and physicists are now seeking to use simpler systems that display the same behaviour. This way they can get a better understanding of how quantum mechanics can effectively interface with classical physics to provide efficient energy transport. This research seeks to use the internal state of single atoms to simulate these energy networks. It uses lasers to trap and cool down atoms so that they can be easily manipulated and observed with state-of-the-art laser spectroscopy. By looking at how the state of the atoms change when they are subject to external electromagnetic perturbations, one can answer some of the questions around efficient energy transport in quantum systems subject to noise. These answers have implications on how to build quantum systems that should not be sensitive to external perturbation, such as quantum computers. They also provide a glimpse into how evolution may have optimise the use of quantum effects in certain biological systems.