Devices like lasers and other semiconductor-based technologies operate on the principles of quantum mechanics, but they only scratch the surface. To fully exploit quantum phenomena, scientists are developing a new generation of quantum-based devices. These devices are advancing rapidly, fuelling what many call the “second quantum revolution”.
One exciting development in this domain is the rise of next-generation energy storage devices known as quantum batteries (QBs). These devices leverage exotic quantum phenomena such as superposition, coherence, correlation and entanglement to store and release energy in ways that conventional batteries cannot. However, practical realization of QBs has its own challenges such as reliance on fragile quantum states and difficulty in operating at room temperature.
A recent theoretical study by Rahul Shastri and colleagues from IIT Gandhinagar, India, in collaboration with researchers at China’s Zhejiang University and the China Academy of Engineering Physics takes significant strides towards understanding how QBs can be charged faster and more efficiently, thereby lowering some of the barriers restricting their use.
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