Imagine being able to see quantum objects with your own eyes — no microscopes needed. That’s exactly what researchers at TU Wien and ISTA have achieved with superconducting circuits, artificial atoms that are massive by quantum standards.
Unlike natural atoms, these structures can be engineered to have customizable properties, allowing scientists to control energy levels and interactions in ways never before possible. By coupling them, they’ve developed a method to store and retrieve light, laying the groundwork for revolutionary quantum technologies. These engineered systems also enable precise quantum pulses and act as a kind of quantum memory, offering an unprecedented level of control over light at the quantum level.
Many quantum objects, such as individual molecules or atoms, are so small that they can only be observed with specialized microscopes. However, the quantum structures that Elena Redchenko studies at the Institute for Atomic and Subatomic Physics at TU Wien are different — they are large enough to be seen with the naked eye, though only with some effort. Measuring hundreds of micrometers across, these objects remain tiny by everyday standards but are immense in the realm of quantum physics.
These large quantum objects are superconducting circuits — structures that allow electric current to flow without resistance when cooled to low temperatures. Unlike natural atoms, which have fixed properties dictated by nature, these artificial structures can be precisely customized. This flexibility enables scientists to manipulate and study various quantum phenomena in a controlled environment. Often referred to as “artificial atoms,” their physical properties can be engineered to suit specific experiments.
By coupling these artificial atoms, researchers developed a system capable of storing and retrieving light — an essential step for future quantum experiments. This breakthrough was achieved by the research group of Johannes Fink at ISTA, with theoretical contributions from Stefan Rotter at the Institute for Theoretical Physics at TU Wien. The findings were recently published in Physical Review Letters.
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