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Optical Tweezers

All articles tagged with #optical tweezers

Florence Team Achieves Room-Temperature Entanglement Between Levitated Glass and Light
science11 days ago

Florence Team Achieves Room-Temperature Entanglement Between Levitated Glass and Light

Researchers at the University of Florence have demonstrated persistent quantum entanglement between a levitated 100-nanometer glass nanosphere and light at room temperature. By using a dual-laser optical tweezer system, they cooled the sphere's motion to its quantum ground state while entangling it with outgoing light, bypassing the need for cryogenic cooling. This milestone, published in Science, provides a potential interface for quantum networks by allowing entangled states to travel via light.

Japan Launches Shunkai, Its First Full-Stack Room-Temperature Quantum Computer
technology18 days ago

Japan Launches Shunkai, Its First Full-Stack Room-Temperature Quantum Computer

Japan has activated Shunkai, its first full-stack quantum computer that operates at room temperature. The system uses neutral atoms trapped by optical tweezers and currently features 50 qubits. Researchers plan to scale the machine to 10,000 qubits by March 2031 to enable practical quantum error correction and open access for external users.

Metasurface holograms unlock ultra-dense single-atom tweezer arrays
science9 months ago

Metasurface holograms unlock ultra-dense single-atom tweezer arrays

Researchers demonstrate trapping of single strontium atoms in two‑dimensional metasurface‑generated optical tweezer arrays, achieving arbitrary geometries with trap spacings as small as 1.5 μm and over 100 traps, with high uniformity in depth and frequency. The metasurfaces (silicon-rich silicon nitride and TiO2) use subwavelength pixels to scale far beyond current limits, enabling a 360,000‑trap array and a path toward scalable neutral-atom quantum technologies.

Caltech Achieves First Hyper-Entanglement in Ultracold Atomic Motion
science1 year ago

Caltech Achieves First Hyper-Entanglement in Ultracold Atomic Motion

Researchers at Caltech have used laser-based optical tweezers to manipulate individual atoms and create a novel state of hyper-entanglement, linking both their motion and electronic states. This breakthrough enhances quantum information encoding and could advance quantum computing, simulations, and precision measurements by turning atomic motion from a noise source into a resource.

MIT Develops Miniature Tractor Beam for Cell Capture
science-and-technology1 year ago

MIT Develops Miniature Tractor Beam for Cell Capture

MIT researchers have developed a chip-based "tractor beam" that uses a focused beam of light to capture and manipulate biological particles without damaging them. This miniature device, inspired by "Star Wars," could revolutionize biological research by allowing the study of DNA, cell classification, and disease mechanisms in a sterile environment. Unlike traditional optical tweezers, this technology can manipulate particles millimeters away from the chip surface, avoiding contamination and stress on cells. The research, published in Nature Communications, was funded by the NSF and MIT fellowships.

Advancements in Quantum Computing: Entangling Single Molecules for On-Demand Entanglement
technology2 years ago

Advancements in Quantum Computing: Entangling Single Molecules for On-Demand Entanglement

Physicists have achieved a significant milestone in quantum computing by using individual molecules trapped with optical tweezers to create entangled states. Two separate teams successfully manipulated pairs of calcium monofluoride molecules, demonstrating the potential for molecular quantum computers. While molecular qubits may be slower than other types, they offer new ways to encode and interact with quantum information. This breakthrough could pave the way for quantum simulations of complex materials and high-precision measurements, advancing the field of quantum computing.

"Quantum Tunnelling Unveiled Through Flashing Droplets"
physics3 years ago

"Quantum Tunnelling Unveiled Through Flashing Droplets"

Researchers in Sweden and Mexico have discovered that light waves confined in evaporating water droplets can provide a useful model of the quantum behaviour of atoms. The resonance of light inside droplets of specific sizes can provide robust analogies to atomic energy levels and quantum tunnelling. The droplets could boost our understanding of the scattering of light and have practical applications in areas including medicine and environmental monitoring.