Physicists discover a hidden “curveball” in quantum light
Researchers have experimentally demonstrated the optical Magnus effect for the first time, revealing that a tightly focused laser interacts most strongly with an atom slightly away from the beam’s center.
Researchers have experimentally demonstrated the optical Magnus effect for the first time, revealing that a tightly focused laser interacts most strongly with an atom slightly away from the beam’s center.
The short version
- The unexpected shift is similar to the physics that makes a spinning table tennis ball curve through the air.
- Because lasers are used to control qubits, the effect could create errors in quantum computers, but it might also provide a new way to couple qubits together.
- Table tennis players can make a ball suddenly curve by giving it just the right spin.
What happened
That motion is caused by the Magnus effect, a familiar piece of physics that also influences the flight of larger balls in sports such as soccer. Now, an international team working at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI has observed a related effect at the atomic scale.
Why it matters
For the first time, researchers have experimentally demonstrated the optical Magnus effect by focusing laser light on a single ion and measuring how the light interacts with it.
Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at ScienceDaily — Top Science via the links above and below.