Measuring the behavior of electrons in these relatively simple setups promises deep insights into how electrons behave in complex real-world materials and could help researchers engineer devices that make possible powerful quantum computers and other innovative technologies.The grids provided playing fields in which electrons could behave in nearly ideal, textbook-like conditions, free of the confounding effects of real-world materials.It could also provide hints about how to create materials, such as topological insulators, by controlling the geometry of the quantum dot array.In related work just published in ACS Nano, the same NIST researchers improved their fabrication method so they can now reliably create an array of identical, equally spaced dots with exactly one atom each, leading to even more ideal environments necessary for a fully accurate quantum simulator.The researchers have set their sights on making such a simulator with a larger grid of quantum dots: A 5x5 array of dots can produce rich electron behavior that is impossible to simulate in even the most advanced supercomputers."