Artur Ekert facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Artur Ekert
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Ekert in 2016
|
|
| Born |
Artur Konrad Ekert
19 September 1961 Wrocław, Poland
|
| Nationality | Polish, British |
| Alma mater | Jagiellonian University (MSc) University of Oxford (PhD) |
| Known for | Quantum cryptography E91 protocol Swap test Quantum entanglement swapping |
| Awards |
|
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physics Cryptography |
| Institutions | Merton College, Oxford University of Oxford National University of Singapore |
| Thesis | Correlations in quantum optics (1991) |
| Doctoral advisor | Keith Burnett David Deutsch Peter Knight |
| Doctoral students | Patrick Hayden Michele Mosca |
Artur Konrad Ekert (born 19 September 1961) is a Polish-British professor who studies quantum physics at the University of Oxford. He is also a professor at the National University of Singapore. Professor Ekert helped start the Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT).
His main work involves how information can be processed using the strange rules of quantum mechanics. He focuses on quantum communication and quantum computation. He is especially famous for being one of the first scientists to work on quantum cryptography. This is a super-secure way to send secret messages.
Contents
Artur Ekert's Early Life
Artur Ekert was born in Wrocław, Poland. He studied physics at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków and later at the University of Oxford.
From 1987 to 1991, he was a student at Wolfson College, Oxford. For his PhD, he showed how quantum entanglement could be used. This special connection between tiny particles can help share secret codes with perfect security.
His Career in Quantum Science
In 1991, Professor Ekert became a research fellow at Merton College, Oxford. There, he started the very first research group focused on quantum cryptography and computation. This group was based at the Clarendon Laboratory in Oxford.
Later, this group grew into the Centre for Quantum Computation. It is now located at DAMTP in Cambridge.
From 1993 to 2000, he held a special position called the Royal Society Howe Fellow. In 1998, he became a physics professor at the University of Oxford. He also became a fellow and tutor at Keble College, Oxford.
Between 2002 and 2006, he was a professor at Cambridge University. In 2006, he returned to the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford as a professor of quantum physics.
Also in 2006, he became a professor at the National University of Singapore. He helped create and became the first director of the Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT). He retired as director in 2020 but still works there as a Distinguished Fellow. In 2020, he also joined the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology.
Professor Ekert has worked with many companies and government groups. He also helps advise different professional boards.
Exploring Quantum Secrets
Professor Ekert's research looks at how information can be handled using quantum systems. He especially focuses on quantum cryptography and quantum computation.
He built on the idea of quantum non-locality. This is the idea that particles can be connected even when far apart. He showed how this could be used for quantum key distribution. This is a way to share secret keys using quantum rules.
His paper from 1991 led to lots of new research. It helped create a whole new field in physics and cryptography. This paper is one of the most referenced in the field. Editors of Physical Review Letters even called it a "milestone letter." This means it made a huge impact on physics.
Later, he worked with other scientists to test his ideas. They showed how quantum key distribution could work in real life. They used special techniques like parametric down-conversion.
Professor Ekert and his team were also the first to show how to prove the security of quantum keys. They used a method called entanglement purification. This makes quantum connections stronger and more reliable.
He and his colleagues have also made many important discoveries in quantum computation. These include:
- Showing that almost any quantum logic gate (a basic building block for quantum computers) can be used to build a full quantum computer.
- Suggesting one of the first realistic ways to build a quantum computer. This involved using tiny bits of material called quantum dots.
- Creating more stable geometric quantum logic gates.
- Suggesting "noiseless encoding," which helps protect quantum information from errors.
His other important work includes:
- Research on quantum state swapping, which is like exchanging quantum information.
- Finding the best ways to measure quantum states.
- Studying how to transfer quantum states from one place to another.
He has also written about the connections between math proofs and the laws of physics. Plus, he has written popular articles about the history of science.
Awards and Recognitions
Professor Ekert has received many awards for his work on quantum cryptography:
- The 1995 Maxwell Medal and Prize from the Institute of Physics.
- The 2007 Hughes Medal from the Royal Society.
- The 2019 Micius Quantum Prize.
- The 2024 Royal Society Milner Award.
- He also shared the 2004 European Union Descartes Prize.
In 2016, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society. He is also a fellow of the Singapore National Academy of Science. In 2017, he received the Singapore Public Administration Medal (Silver). He is also a foreign member of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences.
See Also
- List of Polish physicists
