The Infosys Prize 2024 in Physical Sciences was awarded for which concept in quantum physics?
- Topological insulators — materials conducting electricity on surfaces but not interiors
- Quantum error correction — protecting quantum information from decoherence
- Macroscopic quantum tunnelling in superconducting circuits
- Time-crystals — a quantum phase exhibiting periodic motion without energy input
Answer: Time-crystals — a phase of matter that exhibits periodic behaviour without energy input, relevant to quantum computing
Vedika Khemani of Stanford University received the Infosys Prize 2024 in Physical Sciences for her contributions to non-equilibrium quantum matter, most notably the discovery of time-crystals. A time-crystal is a phase of matter that breaks time-translation symmetry — it oscillates periodically without consuming energy. Khemani's theoretical work provided the framework that enabled experimental groups to verify the phenomenon in the lab.