Physicists from Japan and South Korea reported successful “passes” of cooled rubidium atoms over a distance of 4.2
To create free-flying atoms,The researchers cooled rubidium atoms to nearly 0 K (near absolute zero temperature) and captured them in optical traps using an 800 nm laser. Such a trap moves with acceleration, moving the atom in a given direction. After the laser is turned off, the atom moves on its own until it is captured by another optical trap.
The researchers tested the technology ina series of experiments. In addition to throwing and trapping atoms, they showed that tiny "balls" could be thrown through another stationary optical trap without being affected by other atoms along the way. Physicists have been able to create free-flying atoms about 94% of the time.
This study is part of a project aimed aton the development of quantum computing. The main task that scientists are solving involves the use of optical traps to organize atoms into a given array.
Such flying atoms could provide a new typedynamic quantum computing, allowing you to more freely change the relative arrangement of qubits - the quantum equivalents of binary bits. They can also be used to collide individual atoms, opening up a new field of chemistry atom by atom.
Jaeuk Ahn, study co-author at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
Read more:
Named a vitamin that protects the brain from dementia
Named a type of insomnia that reduces the risk of dementia. But why is unknown.
It turned out which men are the most fertile: their sperm is 50% better than the rest
On the cover: an artistic illustration of an atom being thrown from one optical trap to another. Image: Jaewook Ahn, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology