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Quantum 3d printing
Will quantum 3D printers create entire universes one day? » 3D Printing Media Network
3D Printing ProcessesAM ResearchResearch & Education
The Science of Can and Can’t, a recently published book by Oxford theoretical physicist Chiara Marletto, discusses the concept of the Universal Constructor. We asked her if this could be the future of 3D printing.
Davide SherJuly 6, 2021
6 minutes read
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As industry analysts in additive manufacturing, we strive to forecast the evolutionary trends of 3D printing technologies across a time period that extends five or 10 years. As journalists, sometimes we venture farther into the future, trying to imagine what will happen in fifty or one hundred years. What if we looked beyond that, without a preset time limit? Then we would need to speak with a scientist to understand what ultimately can and cannot happen. And that is what we did when we had the unique opportunity to interview Chiara Marletto, Research Fellow at the Physics Department at the University of Oxford.
Professor Marletto is a theoretical physicist, and her studies focus on Quantum Theory of Computation, Information Theory, Thermodynamics, Condensed-Matter Physics and Quantum Biology. She just published a book titled The Science of Can and Can’t, which is based on her recent research harnessing a recently proposed generalization of the quantum theory of information—Constructor Theory—to address issues at the foundations of the theory of control and causation in physics.
Chiara Marletto, Research Fellow at Wolfson College, University of Oxford and author of The Science of Can and Can’t.In the book, she also explores the concept of the Universal Constructor, which could represent the ultimate evolution of today’s 3D printers. “It is not the main part of the book—Professor Marletto says—however it is the inspiring principle for the Science of Counterfactuals – Science of Can and Can’t – that is commonly referred to as ‘Constructor Theory’, that is the theory of the universal constructor.
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But what exactly is a Universal Constructor? And how does it relate to today’s 3D printers? One possibility that comes to mind is something like the “replicator” described in the fictional Star Trek series, which is a machine that assembles objects at an atomic level. In some ways it is. The Universal Constructor was proposed as a theoretical model by physicist and mathematician John von Neumann in the 1950s to generalize the idea of the universal Turing machine, that is, the universal computer. “A universal computer is a machine that can be programmed to perform any computation that is physically possible—Marletto explains—the Universal Constructor on the other hand is a machine that can perform any transformation – not just computations – that is physically allowed. In particular, von Neumann devised it to emulate the behavior of cells, which can self-reproduce.”
One element that the Universal Constructor does share with 3D printers—which is also one of the defining characteristics of the Universal Constructor—is that it could make a replica of itself, something that inspired the early RepRap 3D printing movement and continues to define 3D printers even at the highest industrial levels: the ability to make parts for new printers.
Another key concept is that the Universal Constructor requires not only energy and/or raw materials but also knowledge, which—Professor Marletto explained—is a particular type of information contained in a software program, that must be given as input to the universal computing machine and also to the Universal Constructor so that they can perform the desired computation. The next question is: if we had enough of all these elements (energy/materials and knowledge) could we make a 3D printer that can make anything?
“We do not currently have a complete theory of the Universal Constructor,” says Professor Marletto, “so, your question does not have a precise answer. Much depends on the resources available in the universe, and on other aspects of our physical laws. However, we can say that there is no physical law that prevents creation in a Universal Constructor.” In other words, the laws of physics as we understand them today allow for the creation of a machine that can produce anything: the fact that doing this is incredibly complex with our current technological capabilities does not mean it is impossible as it would be, for example, to create perpetual motion machines, which are prevented by the principle of conservation of energy.
“For example—Professor Marletto adds—the theory of thermodynamics tells us that there is no limit to the construction of arbitrarily accurate heat engines, and we would like to generate such a prediction for the Universal Constructor as well. We would really like to have, when the theory of the Constructor is completed, a series of physical principles that indicate whether it is possible to have a Universal Constructor, and also what are the transformations that are in its repertoire.”
While we don’t know if 3D printers can ultimately evolve into Universal Constructors, there is nothing in physics that says they can’t. Either way, it may be possible to imagine an evolutionary process that takes us from today’s early 3D printers to a machine that can build anything.
Professor Marletto agrees: “The final realization of a Universal Constructor will require the creation of imperfect constructors, which are not universal but have the ability to construct approximate constructors that work slightly better than the previous generation. This mechanism – of how imperfectly replicating organisms can create a better version from time to time, which then takes over – is already described in Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection. A similar mechanism occurs in the context of technological evolution within our civilization, which proceeds gradually. Think of the evolution of computing machines, starting from Turing’s theoretical proposal.
The fact that the most optimized shapes produced by 3D printers often replicate “natural forms” such as lattices and fractals may be another key element that indicates they will evolve: not only do they replicate natural forms but they may eventually also replicate natural processes such as self-reproduction and natural selection.
Today’s 3D printers are evolving in terms of size and speed but also in terms of precision. As resolutions become more and more precise, the assembly of matter at the most basic scale cannot escape the complexities of quantum mechanics. While most 3D printers today work with voxels of 10 to 100 microns, some can already go into the nanometer scale. And quantum effects can already come into play.
“Spontaneous quantum effects are usually confined to the atomic or subatomic scale,” Professor Marletto points out. “However, there are technologies that allow us to induce quantum effects on mesoscopic scales. For example, consider the interferometry expressions concerning complex molecules such as fullerenes. There are no limits set by quantum theory regarding the scale at which quantum effects can be used to improve the efficiency of a classical physical process.
Think for example of the case of quantum biology – where the possibility is studied that living beings use quantum effects to function more efficiently. It is certainly possible to imagine ways of using quantum effects also within the Universal Constructor.”
Even before getting into quantum effects, 3D printers have to deal with physics at the macroscopic scale and its limitations all the time. For example, in terms of heat management, mechanical movements, in the physics of powders and liquids or in the physics of energy sources such as lasers and infrared radiation. Can Constructor Theory and the Science of Can and Can’t provide a practical framework to address some of these challenges as well?
Professor Marletto thinks so. “The laws of constructor theory are, like all laws of basic physics, universal—she confirms. “Therefore they apply to elementary systems such as particles, and also to aggregates of elementary particles which are becoming more and more complex – hence also to objects such as computers or living organisms.
” Reading the Professor’s book, one does get the impression that Constructor Theory could help to broaden the horizons of creativity and innovation particularly in an innovation-rich and rapidly evolving industrial segment such as additive manufacturing, which continues to cross boundaries.
Another practical aspect to consider as 3D printing continues to advance is process simulation (and monitoring). Industrial 3D printers produce enormous quantities of digital data that need to be handled by increasingly powerful computers. Professor Marletto agrees that this may be an ideal task for the universal quantum computers of tomorrow. “The Universal Constructor technology—when it is implemented—will make use of a quantum universal computer to manage data and perform computations necessary for the constructor to function,” she explains.
Babbage’s Analytical Engine was a Universal Classical Computer. The question of whether a Universal Constructor can exist is of great interest in Constructor Theory.
Having the opportunity to discuss the evolution of 3D printing technology in terms of theoretical physics was truly inspiring. While we are certainly still at the very beginning of the evolution of 3D printing, and still far from a complete understanding of Constructor Theory, it appears clear that there are many common elements to be explored. As 3dpbm is actively working with Sarah Goerke at Women in 3D Printing to favor inclusion and gender equality in the AM industry, I should say that it was also refreshing to speak about these topics with a brilliant woman scientist, in a world of theoretical physics that is also generally male-dominated.
“I think it’s about the changing times,” Professor Marletto concludes. “In my opinion, the choices of work and study (both for men and for women) are largely determined by the culture and society in which we live. I expect that with the evolution (I hope for the better) of our costumes there will be an evolution of the choices that will go hand in hand.
We will see what it will lead to. I am confident.”
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Quantum 3D Printing on the Horizon, According to UBC Researcher Jennifer Hoffman - 3DPrint.com
I’m a firm believer that technology can take us to unimaginable places, from both a physical and a mental standpoint. Technological progress is oftentimes charted along an exponential curve meaning that as time goes by the rate of progress increases exponentially instead of linearly. While it’s too still early to tell if 3D printing will fall into this category, we have already seen a tremendous amount of progress within the last few years alone–and if one quantum materials researcher, Jennifer Hoffman, has her way, we may be on the verge of an incredibly rapid advancement within the industry.
Hoffman, until now a professor of physics at Harvard University, will be joining the University of British Columbia (UBC) this month as the Canada Excellence Research Chair in quantum materials and devices based on oxide heterostructures.
At her new position she will create a research program that will be focused on combining and creating new quantum materials with atomic precision. To take things a step further she is trying to create a method of 3D printing incredibly tiny objects, which can be measured only on an atomic scale.
Sound a bit insane or like something from Star Trek? Well it sort of is. For those unfamiliar with the world of quantum materials, these are materials which are not yet completely understood, even by some of the most advanced scientists. The everyday laws of classical physics cannot explain the almost spooky interactions found within such materials, which can possess incredibly useful magnetic and electronic properties.
The Honourable Ed Fast and Jennifer Hoffman pictured Friday at UBC. [Image: UBC.ca]
Hoffman, however, is using her expertise in the area to set out on a project to 3D print objects atom-by-atom in order to assemble quantum heterostructures, which are objects consisting of multiple materials and governed by the laws of quantum physics.
She hopes to accomplish such a feat, or at least create a basis for such a process, over the next several years.
So how exactly does she intend to 3D print objects at such an incredibly minute scale? She plans on combining two key processes, molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), which allows for the vertical stacking of individual atomic layers (this represents the Z-axis), with that of scanning probe lithography, which uses an extremely sharp tip to move and place individual atoms in a lateral direction (this represents the X- and Y-axes). Neither process is able to build 3D structures on its own, but when combined 3D printing at the atomic level will be possible, according to Hoffman.
“We seek to embed arbitrary electronic structures into 3D materials with atomic-scale precision,” Hoffman explained in her proposal last year to the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. “One key 5-year focus is interface superconductivity, with two parallel goals of realizing higher Tc and topological superconductivity.
In each case, we will establish a film growth recipe, perform detailed imaging to understand the materials, explore atom manipulation strategies, characterize superconducting behavior in confined geometries, and ultimately ‘print’ layered arrays of superconducting 0’s and 1’s to create quantum devices.”
Last year she submitted a CERC proposal on atomic scale 3D printing to the Canadian Government as well as a proposal to the Moore Foundation seeking grants for her research.
“Both of these proposals were funded, but I don’t have results to report yet,” explained Hoffman to 3DPrint.com. “This is a long-term, high-risk, high-reward research endeavor, so I don’t expect to have results much before the 5-year and 7-year terms of these grants.”
While this is certainly a form of 3D printing, it’s much more complicated a process than we are all used to. What she is proposing could best be compared to laying down multiple one-atom-thick pages of a book and then patterning each of those pages one by one.
It’s not exactly the typical image of a 3D printer spitting out material from a nozzle that many of us may have in our heads, but then again this is not your typical manufacturing process either.
If successful, such a process could have immense ramifications for a number of industries, and transform the manufacturing sector in ways which are not quite yet known. In fact, entire new industries could come about.
“This ambitious endeavor complements the assembly of quantum systems using ultracold atom gases, and extends the concept into three dimensions in the solid state, where stable materials and useful devices may be prototyped, characterized, and manufactured,” explains Hoffman. “Emergent properties in quantum heterostructures are widely expected to lead a technological revolution, with impact on electronics, communications, energy, and medicine. ‘Quantum 3D printing’ could produce ultra-fine wires for fast computing with charge or spin, ultra-dense memory, ultra-precise metamaterials for shaping electromagnetic fields, or ultra-sensitive magnetic detectors.
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It will certainly be interesting to follow Hoffman and the team of physicists working with her at the University of British Columbia over the next several years. Even if she does not succeed, the data and research collected from this work will most definitely advance the 3D printing space in one way or another.
Let’s hear your thoughts on this remarkable research being conducted by Hoffman and UBC, and what it may eventually lead to. Discuss in the Quantum 3D Printing forum thread on 3DPB.com.
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Tagged with: 3d printing and physics • 3D printing quantum physics • 3d printing research • atomic scale 3d printing • Jennifer Hoffman • quantum 3d printing • ubc 3d printing • university of british columbia
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Super-flexible gadgets, quantum computers and 3D printing of entire neighborhoods: scientists talk about the near future of technologies quantum revolution, which can promise us an incredible leap in technology in the very near future.
In my opinion, the most anticipated technology will be quantum cryptography.
Mathematical methods are now used to protect information. Most often, they are based on the fact that an attacker simply does not have enough resources to decrypt user data while it is relevant. However, you can always make a copy of this data and hope that they can be decrypted in the future.
The main problem in cryptography is the distribution of encryption keys. Ideally, only legitimate users should have these keys, but classical methods of distributing them cannot give such confidence.
As soon as we start using single photons (quanta) for key transmission, quantum effects come into force. Photons have three important features: they cannot be measured without being destroyed, they cannot be divided, and they cannot be copied from an unknown quantum state.
Thus, the attacker no longer has the same options as in the case of classical encryption.
Today, quantum encryption is a rapidly developing part of the information security industry. Some states - for example, China - allocate huge amounts of money for the construction of real backbone quantum networks. I won’t be surprised if the length of Chinese quantum networks in the near future is comparable to the length of the Great Wall of China!
Another example: the Korean telecom operator SK Telecom invested about $68 million in the Swiss company ID Quantique. So I have practically no doubts that in 10 years quantum cryptography will firmly enter our lives.
Alexander Samardak, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Systems, FEFU School of Natural Sciences
In the near future, people's daily lives will depend to a large extent on highly sensitive sensory systems. Already today, networks of magnetic sensors are used to implement projects of smart homes, smart medicine, smart transport.
The sensitivity of sensors is constantly growing, the path from scientific research to their implementation in real technologies takes less and less time.
We believe that such sensors can be used in many areas. For example, in biomedicine, thanks to ultra-sensitive sensors, it will be possible to accurately identify potential genetic diseases and select treatments. Such systems may appear around 2030.
The use of magnetoresistive technologies is relevant in flexible portable electronic gadgets - smartphones and others. Devices based on such sensors are able to withstand a large number of flexion/extension and stretch cycles without loss of sensitivity properties. Super flexible devices may be expected by 2030.
Around this time, high-sensitivity wear-resistant sensors should appear that can detect fast processes and at the same time are not expensive to manufacture. Instead of a silicon substrate, they can even be printed on paper and textiles.
Sergey Shipilov, Professor of the Faculty of Radiophysics, TSU
The trend of miniaturization and reduction in the cost of vision systems will allow them to be introduced into our daily life in the coming years.
Even budget cars will be equipped with mobile microwave radars, which will solve the problems of ensuring the safety of the driver and passengers while driving, preventing collisions in conditions of poor visibility.
By the end of the decade, technology will be developed and implemented to transmit video and radio images directly to the human brain. This will allow millions of blind people to be able to see.
Mikhail Lebedev, Research Supervisor, Center for Bioelectrical Interfaces, National Research University Higher School of Economics
Expect a rapid development of technologies for studying the brain and interacting with it.
This is primarily a technology for recording the neuronal activity of millions of cells. To do this, miniature electrodes will be developed that are biocompatible with nervous tissue and capable of recording signals from individual neurons.
Technologies will also be developed for multi-channel stimulation of the nervous tissue, capable of sending large amounts of information to the brain, as well as technologies for interacting with the brain at the level of neurotransmitters.
And, of course, all these breakthroughs will lead to many practical applications: from brain-controlled neuroprostheses that restore motor activity and sensations in patients with neurological damage, to developments that allow expanding functions (memory, attention, thinking, reaction speed) in healthy people of people.
Alexey Knyazev, Director of the Engineering Chemical Technology Center of TSU
Working with information will reach a qualitatively new level when our gadgets become customizable and will be able to choose it according to our interests.
Now the information flows are very saturated, but they move quite spontaneously, and we get a lot of superfluous.
I think new technologies will fix this and make it so that our means of communication will filter information themselves - for example, select resources for us to study based on our interests, opportunities, workload, etc.
There will definitely be new ultralight, very strong and reliable materials. For example, lightweight plastics that will significantly reduce the weight of the car.
Work is underway to create a new generation of more reliable and durable tires. They may appear in the near future, since the necessary polyester resins have already been developed.
Ruslan Baryshev, SibFU Vice-Rector for Science
I am sure that we can and should expect changes in the field of medicine, in particular, an increase in the accuracy and speed of diagnostics.
Technologies based on artificial intelligence should appear, which will eliminate the human factor.
Another medical topic related to biotechnology and 3D printing. Now our researchers are actively working on printing biocompatible bone implants and obtaining artificial skin. This is by no means news in the world, but the task is to achieve ideal survival.
3D printing is a topic that is ubiquitous in mechanical engineering, as well as in the textile and construction industries. You can expect entire blocks to be mass-printed because it's quick and easy.
SibFU scientists are currently working on solving problems related to signal transmission - for example, to deep-sea vehicles from the air or through the earth in a mountainous area in case of disasters.
A kind of challenge for science is unmanned piloting. Today in this area there are successes when piloting is carried out in conditions close to ideal.
In 10 years, technology should work in any conditions.
In the field of renewable resources, humanity dreams of high-capacity batteries that will be quickly charged. The best minds are aimed at this, who solve several problems: charge return, charging time, threshold values. If we talk about technology, then first of all it is electricity and nuclear energy.
Miniature atomic power sources should appear - this would be a fantastic achievement.
There are many developments in food technology. In particular, we are working with the FRC KSC SB RAS on designing LED spectra and studying how changing the spectrum affects the growth of different plants. One spectrum is good for cucumbers, the other is good for tomatoes.
This will make it possible to grow plants underground or in the Far North zone solely through artificial lighting.
Yury Sharkeev, Professor, Research School of Physics of High-Energy Processes, TPU
Scientific teams in different countries are actively working on growing bone tissue in order to form some tissue elements directly in the human body.
In particular, we are talking about the cultivation of dental tissue, such a technology should change dental implantation.
Now there are some successes in this direction. The leaders in this field are, of course, Japanese scientists. They managed to grow a tooth from the rudiments of dental tissue for rodents. This technology still requires long-term research, and there are many challenges to be overcome. But I see that in about 10 years such technologies will be available to people.
Why is this needed? To solve the problem of implant survival. Still, a modern dental implant is a foreign body, to which our immune system reacts accordingly. Everyone who has experienced the loss of a tooth and the subsequent installation of an implant in its place knows that no doctor guarantees that the implant will take root.
Developed technologies suggest growing a tooth from the material native to the body in the future.
Researchers and doctors will increasingly move away from metals and polymers and look for ways to use the human potential.
Alexander Zatsepin, Associate Professor of the Institute of Physics and Technology, Ural Federal University
In the coming decades, a paradigm shift in electronic technology is possible: replacement of silicon, the main material of the element base of modern electronics, with carbon, which provides fundamentally different, completely unique opportunities in various fields of activity human, including instrumentation, energy, biology and medicine.
Using new carbon nanomaterials, ultra-miniature functional devices with high speed and low power consumption will be created. This will ensure the emergence of wearable flexible devices - computers, watches, smartphones - with increased performance and a longer service life.
Based on ultra-thin carbon chains with special physical properties, ultra-light, "eternal" energy sources and batteries can be created to ensure an unlimited service life of various devices of microsystem technology - for example, nanorobots.
Due to the high compatibility of carbon materials with biological objects, there are real prospects for the creation of new effective biosensors and tumor markers for the earliest diagnosis and therapy of cancer and other serious diseases.
Vyacheslav Avdin, Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry, SUSU Institute of Natural and Exact Sciences
Over the past few years, areas related to inorganic and organo-inorganic catalysts have been intensively developing in the world. How will they help people?
Firstly, this is the production of new chemicals - super-efficient drugs, organic semiconductors, which can fundamentally change our understanding of electronics, etc.
Secondly, reagentless methods for cleaning various media from toxic persistent organic contaminants. This is a significant improvement in the quality of both water and air, and, as a result, food and quality of life.
And most importantly, the appearance of catalysts that make it possible to obtain hydrogen fuel from water.
Thanks to this, humanity will get away from hydrocarbon energy, exhaust gases, smog, soot and other consequences of burning oil, coal and gas.
It is impossible not to mention energy storage devices. The high cost of electricity is primarily due to the fact that we cannot efficiently accumulate and store it. We can make a supply of water, fuel, food, but the electricity that is in our socket is produced almost at the same second that we use it.
If we learn how to create "electric reservoirs", the capacity of which is comparable, for example, with the daily consumption of Chelyabinsk, the cost of energy will drop significantly. And this will give impetus to the development of many energy-intensive industries.
Anton Konakov, Senior Lecturer, Department of Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Physics, Lobachevsky University
Significant progress in the development of quantum computers is expected in the next 10 years.
