According to Xinhua news agency, Hefei, May 3, 1900, Germany. Planck, 42, first proposed "quantum theory". The once indestructible building of Newtonian mechanics was pierced by a beam of light from the micro world. More than 100 years later, China. "Mozi", "Jiuzhang" and "Zuchongzhi"... Standing at the new starting point of the "second quantum revolution", China's Quantum Science and technology has been reported frequently, and has become an important force in the International Quantum scientific research territory.
Behind these achievements are a group of young scientists with "the greatness of the country". They use their youth to forge their ambition to serve the country, bravely climb the peak of science and technology, and become the "Heaven group" in the field of quantum research in China.
"Failure is common in scientific research"
"The success seen in textbooks is only an accidental event, and failure is the norm." Rong Xing, a 39 year old professor at the University of science and technology of China, said that how to face failure divides people into different looks. "We should have the spirit of revolutionary optimism." He laughed.
Before the age of 22, Rongxing couldn't seem to find the word "failure" in his life dictionary. In 2001, at the age of 18, he was admitted to the school of physics of the University of science and technology of China, and then was escorted to the school for postgraduate and doctoral studies.
In 2005, Rongxing, a graduate student, chose scientific instruments as his research direction and began to "entangle" with quantum. He stepped into the track with great expectations, but it was an unprecedented challenge waiting for him.
Rong Xing works in the laboratory. (picture provided by the interviewee)
"The function of the instrument is limited, the scheme is repeatedly overturned, and the experimental results are less than expected..." Rong Xing said that at that time, China's research in this field was far behind the international level, because of the lack of experimental instruments and experimental samples, even doing experiments was a luxury.
In a flash of ten years, Rongxing survived one sleepless night after another and failed again and again. Through efforts, he and his colleagues realized the highest precision spin manipulation in the world by using the independently developed magnetic resonance equipment. "Scientific research can achieve phased results, but it will never end." Rong Xing said that as young scientists, we should continue to carry forward the spirit of scientists and strive to write the answer sheet of the era of self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology.
"Let scientific and technological achievements serve more people"
In 2009, sun Fangwen, a young scientist who has just entered his infancy, made a choice that may change his life.
After leaving the post doctoral station at Columbia University, he gave up the excellent treatment abroad and returned to his alma mater, the University of science and technology of China.
"I didn't think so much at that time, because Miss Guo wanted me to come back." Sun Fangwen said. The "teacher Guo" in his mouth is Guo guangcan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and quantum information scientist.
Choice, starting in 1997.
That year, sun Fangwen took the college entrance examination. "In addition to the normal performance of physics, the results of mathematics and chemistry are not ideal." He said. Even so, he was admitted to the University of science and technology of China with high scores.
When choosing a major, he chose the physics major of "playing normal" without thinking.
Four years of undergraduate pursuit and six years of postgraduate career. In the year of his doctoral graduation, he came to the crossroads of his life. It is Mr. Guo's support and love for scientific research that enable him to really devote himself to the field of quantum sensing and continue to study, research and further study.
The year he returned home, he made a wish: in another 10 years, our scientific research achievements will catch up with the world's advanced level.
Ten years later, the wish came true.
Sun Fangwen (second from left) is checking the instrument. (picture provided by the interviewee)
In recent years, sun Fangwen has seen the possibility of independent transformation of quantum sensing technology.
"Research results can't 'lie on paper', we should let it serve people." Sun Fangwen said that it may take decades from theoretical breakthrough to technical application.
"But one day, we can see the research results come into our lives. I think it's worth it." Sun Fangwen said.
"All my life, I just want to do this."
On October 26, 2021, Zhu Xiaobo breathed a long sigh of relief.
The University of science and technology of China announced that China has successfully built the 66 bit programmable superconducting quantum computing prototype "Zu chong-2", and the speed of solving the "quantum random line sampling" task is more than 10 million times faster than the world's fastest supercomputer, making China the only country to reach the milestone of "quantum superiority" on the two technical routes.
Zhu Xiaobo is the specific person in charge of the "Zuchongzhi No. 2" project.
Guanshan is more difficult than ever. In 2008, Zhu Xiaobo, an associate professor at the Institute of physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, gave up his teaching post and went to Japan for further study. That year, he was 32 years old.
Five years later, he declined his tutor's request and returned to the Institute of physics.
Zhu Xiaobo is at work. (picture provided by the interviewee)
Three years after returning home, Zhu Xiaobo joined the University of science and technology of China and began to develop a superconducting quantum computing prototype.
In the next few years, dozens of researchers joined one after another. They have made great contributions to the development of China's quantum computing field with exciting "good news" one by one. "On this track related to the future of mankind, China can't lag behind. We dare not stop." Zhu Xiaobo said.
"Everything we do today is for the future. I hope the efforts of our generation can contribute to building a strong country in science and technology." Zhu Xiaobo felt that he was lucky. In his limited life, he was doing something worth fighting for all his life. "All my life, I just want to do one thing." He said. (Xinhua News Agency reporters Dai Wei and Cao Jiayue)