Quantum control of molecules for ultra-fast computers: Single laser stops molecular tumbling motion instantly
Wednesday, September 3, 2014 - 00:31
in Physics & Chemistry
In the quantum world, making the simple atom behave is one thing, but making the more complex molecule behave is another story. Now scientists have figured out an elegant way to stop a molecule from tumbling so that its potential for new applications, such as quantum computing, can be harnessed: shine a single laser on a trapped molecule and it instantly cools to the temperature of outer space, stopping the rotation of the molecule.