Scientists Quantum Entangled a Record-Breaking 15 Trillion Atoms

 

A team of researchers just succeeded in entangling a record-breaking 15 trillion atoms.

 

The rare feat is a first for quantum science, Live Science reports, particularly because the scientists decided to heat it up into a chaotic, energized soup. With this mass entanglement in hand, the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology physicists hope to advance technologies ranging from brain imaging to the hunt for dark matter.

 

When particles are entangled, perturbations to one will equally influence the others even when they’re separated. Usually, entanglement occurs at very low temperatures to prevent particles from colliding. But when the physicists heated a vial of rubidium gas, all 15 trillion atoms entangled with each other in a rapidly-resetting, chaotic chain reaction, according to study published last month in Nature Communications.

 

“Entanglement is one of the most incredible quantum technologies, but it is famously fragile,” lead physicist Jia Kong told Live Science. “Most entanglement-related quantum technology has to be applied in a very low-temperature environment, such as a cold atomic system. This restricts the application of entanglement states. [Whether or not] entanglement can survive in a hot and disordered environment is a curious question.”

 

The new technique is too imprecise to use in quantum computers, Live Science reports, but it could help improve extremely-sensitive magnetic sensors for doctors and astronomers.

 

“We hope that this kind of giant entangled state will lead to improved sensor performance in applications ranging from brain imaging, to self-driving cars, to quests for dark matter,” Barcelona researcher Morgan Mitchell said in a press release.

References:

 Live Science, Newatlas