Quantum Entanglement In The Mechanical World

Wednesday, June 3, 2009 - 14:00 in Physics & Chemistry

Physicists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have demonstrated entanglement—a phenomenon peculiar to the atomic-scale quantum world—in a mechanical system similar to those in the macroscopic everyday world. The work extends the boundaries of the arena where quantum behavior can be observed and shows how laboratory technology might be scaled up to build a functional quantum computer.  The research involves a bizarre intertwining between two pairs of vibrating ions (charged atoms) such that the pairs vibrate in unison, even when separated in space. Each pair of ions behaves like two balls connected by a spring , vibrating back and forth in opposite directions. Familiar objects that vibrate this way include pendulums and violin strings.  read more

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