Quantum Physics

The Nobel-prize-winning physicist William Phillips talks to Margaret Harris about his life and career The post William Phillips: why quantum physics is so ‘deliciously weird’ appeared first on Physics World.

Just as overlapping ripples on a pond can amplify or cancel each other out, waves of many kinds

Scientists may have uncovered the missing piece of quantum computing by reviving a particle once dismissed as useless. This particle, called the neglecton, could give fragile quantum systems the full power they need by working alongside Ising anyons. What was once considered mathematical waste may now hold the key to building universal quantum computers, turning discarded theory into a pathway toward the future of technology.

A new type of computer uses oscillators in special materials to find the most efficient solutions to complex scheduling and routing problems at room temperature.

A highly sensitive quantum sensor from Jena has traveled nearly 9,000 kilometers: by truck to Hamburg, by ship across the Atlantic, and finally overland to Vassouras, Brazil.

The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has assembled a team of researchers to make communication networks more secure by injecting them with quantumness

The tech could revolutionize how spacecraft, airplanes, ships, and submarines navigate when GPS is unavailable or compromised. The post Quantum Alternative to GPS Will Be Tested on the US Military’s X-37B Spaceplane appeared first on SingularityHub.

In a new podcast episode, an expert explains how scientists could better understand disease by exploring the mechanics of photosynthesis.

Four RIKEN researchers have used two small quantum computers to simulate quantum information scrambling, an important quantum-information process. This achievement illustrates a potential application of future quantum computers. The results are published in Physical Review Research.

Researchers at the University of Innsbruck have created a system in which individual qubits—stored in trapped calcium ions—are each entangled with separate photons. Demonstrating this method for a register of up to 10 qubits, the team has shown an easily scalable approach that opens new possibilities for linking quantum computers and quantum sensors.

A qubit is the delicate, information-processing heart of a quantum device. In the coming decades, advances in quantum information are expected to give us computers with new, powerful capabilities and detectors that can pick up atomic-scale signals in medicine, navigation and more. The realization of such technologies depends on having reliable, long-lasting qubits.

A quantum computer that uses particles of light took about two dozen microseconds to complete a calculation that may take trillions of trillions of trillions of years on the world’s best supercomputers

Researchers hope to use neutrinos to find the sources of cosmic radiation. New algorithms out of Bochum are aiding in the search, and have also eliminated a few candidates.

Researchers hope to use neutrinos to find the sources of cosmic radiation. New algorithms are aiding in the search, and have also eliminated a few candidates.

A research team has created a quantum logic gate that uses fewer qubits by encoding them with the powerful GKP error-correction code. By entangling quantum vibrations inside a single atom, they achieved a milestone that could transform how quantum computers scale.

Author(s): Nikhil KarthikThe MicroBooNE experiment’s five-year dataset has shown that an unpredicted neutrino-flavor oscillation is not the cause of anomalous results obtained by its predecessor. [Physics 18, s115] Published Thu Aug 21, 2025

The journal  has lifted an expression of concern on a paper claiming evidence of Majorana quasiparticles, but concerns linger

A team of researchers has discovered how a little-known type of symmetry in quantum materials, called nonsymmorphic symmetry, governs the way these materials interact with intense laser light.

A team of physicists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has made a breakthrough that could bring secure quantum communication closer to everyday use—without needing flawless hardware.

To build a large-scale quantum computer that works, scientists and engineers need to overcome the spontaneous errors that quantum bits, or qubits, create as they operate.

At first glance, biology and quantum technology seem incompatible. Living systems operate in warm, noisy environments full of constant motion, while quantum technology typically requires extreme isolation and temperatures near absolute zero to function.

The U.S. Space Force's X-37B space plane will test a potential alternative to GPS that makes use of quantum science as a tool for navigation: a quantum inertial sensor.

Establishing robust isolated spins on solid surfaces is crucial for fabricating quantum bits or qubits, sensors, and single-atom catalysts. An isolated spin is a single spin that is shielded from external interactions. Because isolated spins can maintain their state for long periods, they are ideal for use as qubits, the basic units of quantum computation, and for ultrafast spintronic memory.

Country-size array of radio antennas could trace ultra–high-energy particles back to supernovae and black holes

A team of scientists has revealed how a single quantum device can accurately measure the three fundamental units of electricity—the ampere (unit of electrical current), the volt (unit of electrical potential) and the ohm (unit of electrical resistance). This is a significant breakthrough because until now, no single instrument could measure all three primary electrical units in one practical system. It means that making electrical measurements could be more precise and reduce the potential for human error.

An international team of physicists has studied how particles are produced in high-energy electron–proton collisions through the lens of entanglement entropy The post How does entanglement affect high-energy collisions? appeared first on Physics World.

CMS researchers observe quantum entanglement in top quark–antiquark pairs, revealing new insights into quantum behaviour at the smallest scales The post Probing quantum entanglement in top quark pairs at the LHC appeared first on Physics World.

Quantum computers have the potential to solve problems far beyond the reach of today’s fastest supercomputers. But today’s

Travis Humble outlines Quantum Science Center's role in developing new quantum technologies The post Travis Humble from Oak Ridge’s Quantum Science Center explains how large facilities benefit from collaboration appeared first on Physics World.

The experimental sensor could be groundbreaking.

This episode of Physics World Stories explores a new book that restores women to the early history of quantum mechanics The post Overlooked pioneers from quantum history appeared first on Physics World.

A team of Johns Hopkins engineers has developed a new, more powerful method to observe molecular vibrations, an advance that could have far-reaching implications for early disease detection.

There are high hopes for quantum computers: they are supposed to perform specific calculations much faster than current supercomputers and, therefore, solve scientific and practical problems that are insurmountable for ordinary computers. The centerpiece of a quantum computer is the quantum bit, qubit for short, which can be realized in different ways—for instance, using the energy levels of atoms or the spins of electrons.

New studies of the ‘platypus of materials’ help explain how their atoms arrange themselves into orderly, but nonrepeating, patterns. The post Quasicrystals Spill Secrets of Their Formation first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Researchers at NPL have reported a novel high-speed charge sensing method for ballistic electrons, a potentially useful technique in the fields of electron quantum optics, quantum electrical metrology, flying qubit technology, and signal sensing.

Defining the fundamental units of electricity used to require two finicky quantum devices – but now scientists have found an easier way to standardise our electrical measurements

Quantum computing used to sound like something only in Marvel or science fiction movies, but that just isn’t

Scientists have, for the first time, experimentally proven that angular momentum is conserved even when a single photon splits into two, pushing quantum physics to its most fundamental limits. Using ultra-precise equipment, the team captured this elusive process—comparable to finding a needle in a haystack—confirming a cornerstone law of nature at the photon level.

Topological quantum systems are physical systems exhibiting properties that depend on the overall connectivity of their underlying lattice, as opposed to local interactions and their microscopic structure. Predicting the evolution of these systems over time and their long-range quantum correlations is often challenging, as their behavior is not defined by magnetization or other parameters linked to local interactions.

Researchers have unveiled a new quantum material that could make quantum computers much more stable by using magnetism to protect delicate qubits from environmental disturbances. Unlike traditional approaches that rely on rare spin-orbit interactions, this method uses magnetic interactions—common in many materials—to create robust topological excitations. Combined with a new computational tool for finding such materials, this breakthrough could pave the way for practical, disturbance-resistant quantum computers.

When mathematicians revived ignored mathematical structures, they found that overlooked particles, called "neglectons," could complete the quantum computing puzzle.

Discovery of a strong quantum interference effect could spark advances in sensing, computing and next-gen technologies by harnessing wave interactions at the quantum level.

A quantum broadcasting system would end up sending slightly different information to every receiver – and efforts to sidestep this problem are too inefficient for practical use

A plucked guitar string can vibrate for seconds before falling silent. A playground swing, emptied of its passenger, will gradually come to rest. These are what physicists call "damped harmonic oscillators" and are well understood in terms of Newton's laws of motion.

Using new techniques, Yale researchers have demonstrated the ability to use lasers to cool quantized vibrations of sound within massive objects to their quantum ground state, the lowest energy allowable by quantum mechanics. This breakthrough could benefit communications, quantum computing, and other applications. The results are published in Nature Physics.

The reliable engineering of quantum states, particularly those involving several particles, is central to the development of various quantum technologies, including quantum computers, sensors and communication systems. These collective quantum states include so-called Dicke and Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) states, multipartite entangled states that can be leveraged to collect precise measurements, to correct errors made by quantum computers and to enable communication between remote devices leveraging quantum mechanical effects.

While conventional computers store information in the form of bits, fundamental pieces of logic that take a value

Author(s): David EhrensteinExperiments show that one of the standard electrode types for semiconductor-based quantum processors isn’t needed. [Physics 18, s110] Published Thu Aug 14, 2025

Dispute over elusive Majorana particles claimed in Science highlights controversial approach to robust quantum chips

Demo showcases new AI-powered tool of potential use in quantum computers

In everyday life, continuously doing work on a system is found to heat it up. Rubbing your hands together warms them. Hammering a piece of metal makes it hot. Even without knowing the equations, we learn from experience: driving any system, whether by stirring, pressing, or striking, leads to a rise in the system's temperature.

For a century, quantum theory has passed every experimental test, but physicists can’t agree on how to use it to paint a picture of our reality – or even whether that is possible

Discovery could lift theoretical constraints on calculations achievable with certain types of topological quantum computers The post Predicted quasiparticles called ‘neglectons’ hold promise for robust, universal quantum computing appeared first on Physics World.

Our podcast guests are Preeti Chalsani and David Awschalom The post Building a quantum powerhouse in the US Midwest appeared first on Physics World.

While conventional computers store information in the form of bits, fundamental pieces of logic that take a value of either 0 or 1, quantum computers are based on qubits. These can have a state that is simultaneously both 0 and 1. This odd property, a quirk of quantum physics known as superposition, lies at the heart of quantum computing's promise to ultimately solve problems that are intractable for classical computers.

Interactions between atoms and molecules are facilitated by electromagnetic fields. The bigger the distance between the partners involved, the weaker these mutual interactions are. In order for the particles to be able to form natural chemical bonds, the distance between them must usually be approximately equal to their diameter.

Skyrmions are localized, particle-like excitations in materials that retain their structure due to topological constraints (i.e., restrictions arising from properties that remain unchanged under smooth deformations). These quasiparticles, first introduced in high-energy physics and quantum field theory, have since attracted intense interest in condensed matter physics and photonics, owing to their potential as robust carriers for information storage and manipulation.

A series of events called the Quantum Fringe has enabled everyone from school students and the interested public to researchers and industry experts to gain new insights into quantum computing The post Festival opens up the quantum realm appeared first on Physics World.

Medical imaging methods such as ultrasound and MRI are often affected by background noise, which can introduce blurring and obscure fine anatomical details in the images. For clinicians who depend on medical images, background noise is a fundamental problem in making accurate diagnoses.

The effect lasts only a few picoseconds but demonstrates a way to manipulate the optical properties of materials

Just as overlapping ripples on a pond can amplify or cancel each other out, waves of many kinds—including light, sound and atomic vibrations—can interfere with one another. At the quantum level, this kind of interference powers high-precision sensors and could be harnessed for quantum computing.

A major breakthrough in quantum technology was achieved in October 2024: the first-ever quantum satellite communication link between China and South Africa. The connection spanned a remarkable 12,900 km: the longest intercontinental quantum communication link established to date. The longest before this was 7,600 km and within the northern hemisphere only.

Scientists have found that microscopic gold clusters can act like the world’s most accurate quantum systems, while being far easier to scale up. With tunable spin properties and mass production potential, they could transform quantum computing and sensing.

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. This quantum radar could image buried objects Physicists have created a new type of radar that could help improve underground imaging, using a cloud of atoms in a glass cell to detect reflected…

Physicists have created a new type of radar that could help improve underground imaging, using a cloud of atoms in a glass cell to detect reflected radio waves. The radar is a type of quantum sensor, an emerging technology that uses the quantum-mechanical properties of objects as measurement devices. It’s still a prototype, but its…

ETH Zurich researchers levitated a nano glass sphere cluster with record-setting quantum purity at room temperature, avoiding costly cooling. Using optical tweezers, they isolated quantum zero-point motion, paving the way for future quantum sensors in navigation, medicine, and fundamental physics.

Using the world’s most powerful X-ray laser, researchers have captured the hidden, never-ending vibrations of atoms inside molecules. This first-ever direct view of zero-point motion reveals that atoms move in precise, synchronized patterns, even in their lowest energy state.

Scientists have developed a new machine learning approach that accurately predicted critical and difficult-to-compute properties of molten salts,

Scientists used IBM's R2 Heron quantum processor to predict the secondary protein structure of a 60-nucleotide-long mRNA sequence.

A survey of more than 1,000 physicists finds deep disagreements in what quantum theories mean in the real world

How can quantum technologies be developed responsibly? In the journal Science, researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), the University of Cambridge, Harvard University and Stanford University argue that international standards should be established before laws are enacted.

In the past, chemists have used temperature, pressure, light, and other chemical ways to speed up or slow down chemical reactions. Now, researchers at the University of Rochester have developed a theory that explains a different way to control chemical reactions—one that doesn't rely on heat or light but instead on the quantum environment surrounding the molecules.

Hundreds of physicists (and a few journalists) journeyed to Helgoland, the birthplace of quantum mechanics, and grappled with what they have and haven’t learned about reality. The post ‘It’s a Mess’: A Brain-Bending Trip to Quantum Theory’s 100th Birthday Party first appeared on Quanta Magazine

First direct observation of quantum Kelvin-Helmholtz instability reveals eccentric fractional skyrmions.

New quantum computing system allows multiple users to run programs simultaneously using virtual machines.

Van Gogh's "The Starry Night" has stirred the souls of art lovers for over a century. Now, its swirling skies may also speak to physicists, as it echoes the patterns of quantum turbulence.

Researchers have directly observed zero-point motion in complex molecules, capturing the precise quantum patterns of atoms with the European XFEL X-ray laser.

By measuring an 11-atom molecule with a stunningly powerful X-ray laser, researchers have seen the way its atoms make slight, synchronised movements, even when they should be standing still

Most of us find it difficult to grasp the quantum world. According to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, it's like observing a dance without being able to see simultaneously exactly where someone is dancing and how fast they're moving—you always must choose to focus on one.

Chemistry and physics are combining forces at Columbia, and it's leaving everyone frustrated—in a good way. New work, published in Nature Physics, describes a new two-dimensional material capable of complex quantum behaviors that arise from its underlying chemistry, rather than its atomic structure.

Researchers set a world record by showing quantum behavior in glass particles without cooling them to extremely low temperatures, defying previous limitations.

Atomic orbitals, not just crystal lattices, can yield frustrated materials with quantum results.

Author(s): Ryan WilkinsonA new device can freely and efficiently change the frequency of microwave signals, enabling communication between otherwise incompatible quantum systems. [Physics 18, s94] Published Wed Aug 06, 2025

Today's encryption works well, until tomorrow's quantum computers arrive.

Quantum distance refers to a measure of quantum mechanical similarity between two quantum states. A quantum distance of one means that the two quantum states are the same, whereas a quantum distance of zero implies that they are exactly the opposite. Physicists introduced this concept in the realm of theoretical science a long time ago, but its importance has been increasingly recognized in the field of physics only in recent times.

A team of theoretical researchers used thermal effective theory to demonstrate that quantum entanglement follows universal rules across all dimensions. Their study was published online in Physical Review Letters.

Scientists achieve the first direct measurement of the quantum metric tensor in black phosphorus, advancing understanding of quantum states in solid materials.

Jennifer Carter reviews Women in the History of Quantum Physics: Beyond Knabenphysik The post Entangled histories: women in quantum physics appeared first on Physics World.

Three nano-glass spheres cling to one another. They form a tower-like cluster, similar to when you pile three scoops of ice cream on top of one another—only much smaller. The diameter of the nano cluster is ten times smaller than that of a human hair.

A team of theoretical researchers used thermal effective theory to demonstrate that quantum entanglement follows universal rules across all dimensions.