Home > News > Atoms or molecules? Both!
July 20th, 2007
Atoms or molecules? Both!
Abstract:
To be at the same time black and white, upwards and downwards directed- only the quantum particles belonging to the nanocosmos are able to take on two properties that are incompatible according to the laws of classical physics. Scientists around Prof. Gerhard Rempe at Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics in Garching have now succeeded in observing a quantum state that represents a pure superposition of atoms and molecules. In Physical Review Letters ("Atom-molecule Rabi oscillations in a Mott insulator") they report on experiments with pairs of Rubidium atoms in an optical lattice. Instead of being either two single atoms or two-atomic bound molecules the pairs oscillate between both states.
The scientists have counted up to 29 of these so-called Rabi-oscillation cycles. While oscillating between the atomic and the molecular state the Rubidium pairs are at one point in both states with equal probability. Quantum particles being in such an ambiguous state provide the ideal properties for storing information in future quantum computers, i.e. they are the ideal candidates to act as quantum bits. Furthermore future precision measurements of the oscillation frequency may be a sensitive test for drifts of fundamental natural constants.
Source:
nanowerk.com
Related News Press |
Discoveries
Chemical reactions can scramble quantum information as well as black holes April 5th, 2024
New micromaterial releases nanoparticles that selectively destroy cancer cells April 5th, 2024
Utilizing palladium for addressing contact issues of buried oxide thin film transistors April 5th, 2024
Interviews/Book Reviews/Essays/Reports/Podcasts/Journals/White papers/Posters
Simulating magnetization in a Heisenberg quantum spin chain April 5th, 2024
Discovery points path to flash-like memory for storing qubits: Rice find could hasten development of nonvolatile quantum memory April 5th, 2024
Quantum nanoscience
Simulating magnetization in a Heisenberg quantum spin chain April 5th, 2024
Optically trapped quantum droplets of light can bind together to form macroscopic complexes March 8th, 2024
Bridging light and electrons January 12th, 2024
'Sudden death' of quantum fluctuations defies current theories of superconductivity: Study challenges the conventional wisdom of superconducting quantum transitions January 12th, 2024
The latest news from around the world, FREE | ||
Premium Products | ||
Only the news you want to read!
Learn More |
||
Full-service, expert consulting
Learn More |
||