Scientists at Purdue University have achieved a breakthrough in quantum physics by levitating and spinning nanoscale diamonds at an incredible speed of 1.2 billion rotations per minute.
This “world’s smallest disco” is expected to play a crucial role in investigating the complex relationship between quantum mechanics and gravity.
“Imagine tiny diamonds floating in an empty space or vacuum. Inside these diamonds, there are spin qubits that scientists can use to make precise measurements and explore the mysterious relationship between quantum mechanics and gravity,” said Tongcang Li, who led the research team.
Crafting and trapping nanodiamonds
The team first created nanodiamonds, each approximately 750 nanometers in size, under conditions of high pressure and temperature. They then successfully trapped the nanodiamond in a high vacuum using a surface ion trap.
This trap consisted of a thin layer of gold, precisely etched into an omega shape, on a sapphire wafer. Passing an electrical current through this gold pattern generated an electromagnetic field, which levitated a nanodiamond in a vacuum chamber above the surface.
This allowed the researchers to observe and manipulate the spin qubits within the diamond.
“We can adjust the driving voltage to change the spinning direction,” explained Kunhong Shen, an author of the study.
By spinning the diamond at an incredibly high speed, “they were able to observe how the rotation affected the spin qubits in a unique way known as the Berry phase,” read the news release .
“The levitated diamond can rotate around the z-axis (which is perpendicular to the surface of the ion trap), shown in the schematic, either clockwise or counterclockwise, depending on our driving signal. If we don’t apply the driving signal, the diamond will spin omnidirectionally, like a ball of yarn,” Shen highlighted.
Illuminating the quantum world
The team’s achievement goes beyond just levitation and rotation . The nanodiamonds used in this experiment were specially prepared to host electron spin qubits.
When illuminated with a green laser, they emit red light, enabling researchers to read out their spin states. An additional infrared laser was used to monitor the rotation of the levitated nanodiamond, similar to how a disco ball reflects light as it spins.
“For the first time, we could observe and control the behavior of the spin qubits inside the levitated diamond in high vacuum,” emphasized Li.
By comparing these two measurements, the researchers could infer how the diamonds’ spin affects the quantum information stored in their defects.
This breakthrough addresses previous challenges in levitating diamonds in a high vacuum and reading out the spin qubits within them.
By achieving both, the team has opened up new avenues for investigating how gravity can be explained in quantum terms, a fundamental question that has long puzzled physicists.
Pushing boundaries of quantum exploration
Beyond fundamental research, this discovery could have a significant impact on industrial applications. Levitated micro and nano-scale particles in vacuum can serve as highly sensitive accelerometers and electric field sensors, with potential applications in navigation and communication.
While the nanodiamonds’ spinning speed is impressive, it falls short of the world record held by the same team, who previously spun a nanoscale “dumbbell” at 300 billion rpm.
However, the current research’s primary focus lies in its potential to unlock deeper understandings of the quantum world and its interplay with gravity, rather than simply breaking speed records.
The “world’s smallest disco party” may just be the beginning of a revolution in quantum physics and its practical applications. As researchers continue to explore the possibilities of levitated nanodiamonds and their embedded spin qubits, we can expect even more exciting developments in the future.
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