Microsoft Research Podcast Ideas: Quantum computing redefined with Chetan Nayak
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Feb 19, 2025 
Chetan Nayak, Technical Fellow of Quantum Hardware at Microsoft Quantum, discusses revolutionary breakthroughs in quantum computing. He highlights the creation of the first topoconductor and its role in advancing QPU architecture. Nayak explains how unique properties of Majorana zero modes could reshape scalability in quantum systems. The conversation also touches on the relationship between quantum computing and AI, emphasizing the need for new materials and innovative measurement techniques to push the boundaries of technology.
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Bookstore Beginnings
- Chetan Nayak's research journey began in bookstores, where he accidentally discovered books on relativity and calculus.
- This sparked his interest in science and led him to pursue a career in quantum physics.
Quantum's Counterintuitive Nature
- Quantum mechanics is counterintuitive because it's several abstraction layers removed from everyday experience.
- Its creators followed equations, even without fully understanding them, leading to groundbreaking discoveries.
Schrödinger's Serendipitous Discovery
- Schrödinger developed his famous equation while recovering from tuberculosis in Arosa, Switzerland.
- Despite not fully grasping its meaning, his equation accurately predicted hydrogen's energy levels.