Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology succeeded for the first time, capture the sound of an atom. The experts explained that, manipulating the sound on the quantum level, new discoveries may be obtained for computation.
The interaction between atoms and light is well known and has been widely studied in the field of quantum optics. However, achieving the same kind of interaction with sound waves to researchers was a great challenge.
“We have opened a new door in the quantum world to talk and listen to the atoms,” said the lead author, Per Delsing.
“Our long-term goal is to harness quantum physics to benefit from its laws, for example on very fast computers. You do this by making electrical circuits that obey quantum laws, we can control and study, “he added.
For this work, published in ‘Science’, scientists created an artificial atom, like the real ones, can be loaded with energy emitted later in particle form. This is generally a particle of light, but the atom Chalmers experiment is designed to emit and absorb energy as sound.
The weakest sound
Thus, atom, with a size of only 0.01 mm, was placed in a lateral of a superconducting material. Then they went acoustic waves on the surface of the material, reflected the oscillations of the atom and recorded the result with a tiny microphone.
“We detected the faintest sound that can be harnessed,” said another of the investigators, Martin Gustafsson. In this regard, he explained that when an atom is handled, it creates a sound, “a phonon every time.”
The sound is so weak that the researchers could not even hear it, just pick your waves with circuits similar to those used today in quantum computers.
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