Quantum Gets ‘Hot”—At Least Room Temperature - ATLANTIS RISING THE RESEARCH REPORT (original) (raw)

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is ai-free.png

In the realm of quantum mechanics, the ability to observe and control quantum phenomena at room temperature has long been elusive, especially on a large or “macroscopic” scale. Traditionally, such observations have been confined to environments near absolute zero, where quantum effects are easier to detect. But the requirement for extreme cold has been a major hurdle, limiting practical applications of quantum technologies.

Now, a study led by Tobias J. Kippenberg and Nils Johan Engelsen at EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne), redefines the boundaries of what’s possible. The pioneering work blends quantum physics and mechanical engineering to achieve control of quantum phenomena at room temperature.
“Reaching the regime of room temperature quantum optomechanics has been an open challenge since decades,” says Kippenberg. “Our work realizes effectively the Heisenberg microscope – long thought to be only a theoretical toy model.”
In their experimental setup, published in Nature, the researchers created an ultra-low noise optomechanical system – a setup where light and mechanical motion interconnect, allowing them to study and manipulate how light influences moving objects with high precision. (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06997-3). These systems are useful for quantum information, and help us understand how to create large, complex quantum states.
According to Alberto Beccari, the study’s co-author, the main problem with room temperature is thermal noise, which perturbs delicate quantum dynamics. To minimize that, the scientists used cavity mirrors, which are specialized mirrors that bounce light back and forth inside a confined space (the cavity), effectively “trapping” it and enhancing its interaction with the mechanical elements in the system. To reduce the thermal noise, the mirrors are patterned with crystal-like periodic (“phononic crystal”) structures.

# 57

Dr. Quantum’s Big Ideas

by Cynthia Logan