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76 SMT007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2024 9. Stay off your phones! We've all walked past booths and seen their employees sitting on chairs with their head buried in their screens. When I see that, I keep walking. If you need to check your email, social media, or any other non-tradeshow related function, leave your booth. 10. Chairs are meant for customers. Avoid sitting and waiting for attendees to arrive. Wear comfortable shoes and consider upgrading your carpet padding so your booth staff can welcome attendees while standing up. Booths with staff sitting on chairs are consider- ably less likely to attract visitors. By recognizing and addressing these com- mon mistakes, exhibitors can enhance their trade show experience, maximize their invest- ment, and achieve greater success in attracting leads, building relationships, and driving busi- ness growth. Conclusion Exhibiting at a trade show presents myriad opportunities for businesses to showcase their offerings, engage with prospects, and ele- vate their brand presence. By adhering to best practices and adopting a strategic approach, exhibitors can maximize their investment and achieve tangible results. From meticu- lous planning and booth design to proactive engagement and post-show follow-up, every aspect of the trade show experience plays a crucial role in driving success. Embrace these best practices to unlock the full potential of your participation and leave a lasting impres- sion on attendees. SMT007 Mike Konrad is founder and CEO of Aqueous Technologies, and vice president of communications for SMTA. To read past columns, click here. Scientists at Paderborn University have used a new method to determine the characteristics of optical, i.e., light-based, quantum states. For the first time, they are using certain photon detectors— devices that can detect individual light particles— for homodyne detection. The ability to character- ize optical quantum states makes the method an essential tool for quantum information processing. Precise knowledge of the characteristics is impor- tant for use in quantum computers, for example. "Homodyne detection is a method frequently used in quantum optics to investigate the wave-like nature of optical quantum states," explains Timon Schapeler from the Paderborn "Mesoscopic Quantum Optics" working group at the Department of Physics. Together with Dr Maximilian Protte, he has used the method to investigate the so-called continuous vari- ables of optical quantum states. This involves the variable properties of light waves. These can be, for example, the amplitude or phase, i.e. the oscillation behaviour of waves, which are important for the tar- geted manipulation of light, among other things. For the first time, physicists have used super- conducting nanowire single-photon detectors for the measurements—currently the fastest devices for photon counting. With their special experimen- tal setup, the two scientists have shown that a homodyne detector with superconducting single- photon detectors has a linear response to the input photon flux. Translated, this means that the mea- sured signal is proportional to the input signal. (Source: Paderborn University) Scientists Realize New Method for Determining Quantum States