Demo's
Nanolympics
Affiliation: University of Twente
We are a group of enthusiastic PhD students at the MESA+ Institute of the University of Twente. Passionate about both sports and nanotechnology. That’s why, during the Olympic Games, we recreate the finest moments of top Dutch and international athletes on the nanoscale. Examples are Sanne Wevers, Remco Evenepoel, Simone Biles, track cyclists, and Femke Bol's incredible final sprint during the 4x400m relay. With these images, we want to show people in a fun way what is possible on the nanoscale. For the demo we would like to bring the chips we fabricated and an optical microscope to showcase how small these athletes really are. In our experience people become very enthusiastic when they see these chips in real life, for example the journalist from RTV Oost that passed by was blown away when she looked herself through the optical microscope. We would like to give the physicists at NWO physics the same mindblowing experience and would like to inspire others for scientific outreach. Most video’s can already be found online at (almost) all well known social media platforms. You can find them by looking for @nanolympics.
Quantum for kids: showcase of educating the younger generation
Affiliation: Leiden University
Representing all 5 quantum education hubs of Quantum Delta NL we demonstrate a few low-cost / low-tech experiments to raise awareness with the younger generation (up to 18 yr.) of quantum science around them. We demonstrate superposition / Hadamard gate operation at primary school level with beam splitters and a flash light in a DIY shoebox diorama of the Pepper’s Ghost illusion. With the 3D printed ‘Optic Cubes’ of an open source optics experimental kit, it is easy to discover Malus’ law and construct a Michelson- or Mach-Zehnder interferometer for interference and quantum eraser experiments. Lastly, to support teaching of atomic spectra and their quantum origin, the shadow of a sodium lamp flame spiced with table salt is investigated to reveal quantum effects that can be seen by the naked eye. This setup also serves as a model for the Earth’s greenhouse effect, connecting quantum physics to aspects of daily life.
Submitted on as a team by Carolien Swart-Castenmiller (UTwente), Rutger Ockhorst (TU Delft) and Michiel Thijssen (Leiden University)
Grasping Quantum Entanglement with Quantum Dice
Affiliation: University of Twente
We present Quantum Dice, a novel haptic demonstration material designed to illustrate principles of quantum entanglement. Quantum physics can be challenging to teach and learn due to a lack of direct experience with quantum effects in everyday life. This material addresses the need for tangible, interactive resources in quantum physics education. Our approach aims to create a simple physical analogy to grasp fundamental quantum entanglement concepts, connecting abstract theory with empirical observation.
Quantum Dice are 3D-printed dice equipped with an Arduino microcontroller, gyroscopes, and displays. The dice are programmed to simulate entangled behaviour, using a familiar classical object as an analogy. By rolling these dice, users can observe fundamental entanglement properties like non-classical correlations, superposition states, quantum measurement and even experiment with a simple quantum encryption protocol.
This project is part of ongoing pedagogical research on the use and impact of demonstration materials in quantum physics education. During our demonstration, attendees will have the opportunity to interact with a prototype of the Quantum Dice. They can experience firsthand how this tool might facilitate understanding abstract quantum phenomena. We welcome discussions on the pedagogical implications and potential applications of Quantum Dice in various educational contexts.
Quantum Computing in Action: Real-time Quantum Chemistry/Many-Body Simulations
Affiliation: University of Amsterdam
This demonstration provides a unique opportunity to witness quantum computing in real-time. We will showcase live quantum simulations on actual quantum hardware, focusing on tasks from quantum many-body physics and quantum chemistry. Furthermore, we will emphasize the critical role of error mitigation techniques in improving the accuracy of quantum computations.
Through an interactive and visual experience, we will guide attendees through the quantum computing process-from designing the initial quantum circuit to its optimization via transpilation for specific hardware architectures. We'll also explore the quantum device’s coupling map, which illustrates the connectivity between qubits.
With engaging visualizations and hands-on demonstrations, our goal is to both educate and inspire the audience about the exciting potential of quantum computing. Join us to explore the forefront of quantum technology and its future applications.
Duo presentation with Alberto Zorzato
Qubit filter for photonic quantum computers
Affiliation: University of Twente
We present a tabletop demonstration of an optical circuit which we have invented, that brings down the cost and size of photonic quantum computers. The circuit improves the quality of photonic qubits through quantum interference, thereby reducing the number of qubits required to perform a given computation. We have demonstrated that this circuit is more efficient than conventional quantum error correction, and therefore expect it to be implemented in practical photonic quantum computers.
The demo consists of a representation of the optical chip (about the size of an A4 piece of paper, see attached picture) with colourful LEDs representing the path of the photons through the circuit for visualization. The demo contains an interactive element to engage visitors.
Scatterometer for optical detection of subwavelength particles and defects on surfaces
Affiliation: Delft University of Technology
We will present a prototype of a compact optical device that is able to detect nanoparticles of sizes down to about 20 nm on flat surfaces. Our technique goes beyond other optical imaging techniques because it is not diffraction limited. Our device is based on a low power laser beam that is focused on a surface and the scattered light is collected in the far field. It is also not necessary to use high power lasers or very short wavelengths.
We have demonstrated the detection of particles down to 21 nm using a wavelength of 400 nm. Besides the particle density, our technique also allows the determination of the position of the particle and under some calibration steps, also the particle size. With some improvements that we recently have implemented in a test setup in the lab, we have demonstrated that localization of the particle can be made with a precision that is much better than the wavelength of the light.
Other applications which requires accurate inspection of surfaces substrates have been demonstrated such as detection of contamination and defects on surfaces for power electronics materials, defects that are buried on substrates, defects and particles on nano-structured structures.
Wavefront shaping demo-setup
Affiliation: University of Twente
Wavefront shaping is a versatile technique that allows control over the scattering processes of light in opaque samples. It was invented by our group in 2007 and has since been shown to be of major importance in the field of optics. Applications include microscopy, speckle noise reduction in imaging, beam steering, generation of arbitrary light modes, imaging deep in scattering samples and many more.
Our demo-setup shows the power of wavefront shaping by turning a normally scattering sample into a lens. After optimisation of the wavefront a clearly visible spot appears behind the sample.
For the wavefront shaping we use phase modulation of a frequency doubled ND-YAG laser. The phase modulation is obtained using a deformable micromirror device in combination with Lee holography. The visualisation of wavefront shaping with our demo-setup helps understanding the underlying principles.
Stereoscopic observation of the Zeeman effect using binoculars and 3D cinema glasses
Afilliation: University of Groningen
Spectral lines of a light source in a magnetic field B are split by the Zeeman effect. The observed polarization states of the emitted light depend on the viewing direction. Circularly polarized light, both clockwise and counterclockwise, is observed when viewing parallel to the direction of B and linearly polarized light is observed when viewing perpendicularly. The experimental setup in our Physics Practical Laboratory allows both viewing directions and in a student practical a specific polarization state is selected by a linear polarizer and if necessary a quarter wave plate. A Fabry-Perot interferometer is used for spectral separation.
Modern 3D cinema glasses separate circularly polarized light into clockwise and counterclockwise components, one for each eye, to create a depth sensation when viewing a movie. By adding a beam splitter and a mirror to our current setup, both objective lenses of a pair of binoculars are illuminated. Viewing through the 3D spectacles and the binoculars gives the observer a 3-dimensional sensation of the spectral Zeeman pattern. Varying the magnitude of B causes a changing feeling of depth, thereby not only seeing but also feeling the Zeeman effect and hence quantum mechanics in action. This demonstration requires one table and electricity.
Human Interactive Materials
Affiliation: Eindhoven University of Technology
Try out all the newly developed smart materials with functions that range from interactive circuit control to haptic surfaces.
Collecting of Particles by Active Filamentous Matter Across Length scales
Affiliation: University of Amsterdam
In this research, we take inspiration from simple yet remarkable centimeter-sized living organisms, T. Tubifex, which demonstrate an extraordinary ability to gather dispersed millimeter-scale particles within a confined space. Using insights from these organisms, we design larger-scale robotic systems capable of performing similar particle collection tasks.
The demo consists out of 2 parts, a section with worms and a section with the robot chain. I would like it to be on a table.
The worms are only a few centimetres long and live in water. The worms will be living in a little tank (20X20X30 cm) with a water filter, so I will need some electricity. For the demo they will be in a small peri-dish. So for this part we need only about 0.5x0.5 meter.
The robot is about 0.5 meter long and the arena it moves around in is 1 meter in diameter. (So we need an area of 1m2 for this) It can be on the ground, but a table would be preferable. It does not need electricity.
Finally I would like some space for a laptop, to show some results.
The highest Energy Neutrino
Affiliation: Nikhef
De KM3NeT experiment is a large neutrino detector that is installed on the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of 800m long lines that contain pressure resistant spherics which detect the faint light of neutrino interactions. Neutrinos are elementary particles that are famous for their weak interaction with matter. The Neutrinos detected with KM3NeT are produced in the cosmos that accelerate particles to extremely high energies. Dutch scientists and engineers have made large contributions to this international effort.
Recently, KM3NeT has detected the highest energy cosmic neutrino ever observed. A publication on this is currently in submitted to Nature and should be published before the date of NWO Physics 2025. It is expected this publication will generate some media attention.
We propose as a demo a Virtual Reality view of the KM3NeT detector, in which this spectacular detection can be appreciated. The Virtual Reality program we have developed puts the viewer inside the detector, at the bottom of the sea, which allows one to appreciate the scale of the of the detector. It then shows the actually measured data (light-detection) from this spectacular event and the trajectory of the neutrino that has been reconstructed from this data.
The demo will be complimented by TV screens that show movies of the detector construction and deployment at sea, and by certain components of the detector, such as a detection sphere. This depending on the available space.
The Centrifuge Camera: visualising hyper-gravity centrifugation
Affiliation: Delft University of Technology
Centrifugation is a very common process in most laboratories. The user typically inserts a sample in the device and sets the rotation speed based on the final results obtained, the optimal speed is decided after a trial-and-error kind of process. This is a major technological issue simply because one cannot see how the centrifugation process occurs. Visual input of the centrifugation process would not only be important for industrial processes, there are also several physical processes occurring within these systems that defy our current knowledge.
We have developed a high-tech hardware module that can be adapted to a commercial lab-bench centrifuge to enable the user to “see”, with high temporal and spatial resolution, the centrifugation process. Vision is made possible through the use of a miniaturised camera module and connected electronics/support hardware that can sustain centrifugal forces 4500 times larger than gravity! A software integrated with the hardware enables the user of the device to extract automatically quantitative information about material properties of the centrifuged sample.