Superradiant phase transition seenUntil now, the phenomenon was debated as it defies the “no-go theorem” in light-based quantum systems.
In a groundbreaking discovery, a team of researchers at the Rice University have reported the first direct observation of a surprising quantum phenomenon known as a superradiant phase transition , predicted over half a century ago.
The discovery could pave the way for groundbreaking advances in quantum computing, communication, and sensing technologies.This unusual behavior emerges when two sets of quantum particles start fluctuating together in perfect sync—without any outside influence—creating an entirely new state of matter.Quantum theory becomes crystal clearThe breakthrough happened in a crystal made of erbium, iron, and oxygen, which researchers cooled to a chilling minus 457 degrees Fahrenheit and exposed to an intense magnetic field—more than 100,000 times stronger than Earth’s.“Originally, the SRPT was proposed as arising from interactions between quantum vacuum fluctuations — quantum light fields naturally existing even in completely empty space — and matter fluctuations,” Dasom Kim, a Rice University student and the lead author on the study, said in a release.“However, in our work, we realized this transition by coupling two distinct magnetic subsystems — the spin fluctuations of iron ions and of erbium ions within the crystal.”Spin refers to the magnetic property of particles like electrons, constantly spinning and pointing in a certain direction. When many spins point the same way, they form magnetic patterns in a material. If these spins move together in a wave-like motion, the effect is called a magnon.Till date, the occurrence of the phenomenon was subject to debate as it runs against a limitation — called the “no-go theorem” in theoretical physics — arising in light-based systems.The researchers navigated this barrier by staging an SRPT in a magnetic crystal based on the interactions between two spin subsystems, creating a magnonic version of the phenomenon.In this case, the magnons generated by the iron ions take on the role usually played by vacuum fluctuations, while the spins of the erbium ions represent fluctuations in matter.The researchers then used advanced spectroscopic techniques to observe unmistakable signatures of an SRPT, with the energy signal of one spin mode vanishing and another showing a clear shift or kink.A spin on superradianceThese spectral signatures align perfectly with theoretical predictions for the superradiant phase, giving the researchers strong confidence that they had successfully created this long-sought state.“We established an ultra-strong coupling between these two spin systems and successfully observed a SRPT, overcoming previous experimental constraints,” Kim said.Researchers said that the collective quantum states at the SRPT have unique properties that could be harnessed for next-generation quantum technologies. “Near the quantum critical point of this transition, the system naturally stabilizes quantum-squeezed states — where quantum noise is drastically reduced — greatly enhancing measurement precision,” Kim said.“Overall, this insight could revolutionize quantum sensors and computing technologies, significantly advancing their fidelity, sensitivity and performance.”The crystal used in the experiment is part of a larger class of materials, suggesting that similar quantum behaviors could be studied in other compounds with interacting magnetic components.“Demonstrating a form of SRPT driven entirely by coupling two internal matter fluctuations marks a significant breakthrough in quantum physics, establishing a new framework for understanding and exploiting intrinsic quantum interactions within materials,” Junichiro Kono, the study’s corresponding author, said.The study has been published in Science Advances.
Magnetic Crystal Magnons Quantum Computing Quantum Physics Quantum Sensors Quantum-Squeezed States Rice University Spin Systems Superradiant Phase Transition
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