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In recent years, quantum technology has begun to attract a lot of attention, thanks to computers that use the properties of atoms, hard drives that store information in
In recent years, quantum technology has begun to attract a lot of attention, thanks to computers that use the properties of atoms, hard drives that store information in unusual situations, and mechanisms that break old rules. These strange engines do not withstand combustion or heat. Instead, they get support from the unusual behavior of small particles.
Quantum mechanics lays the foundation for all of this. It is not about large objects, but about things on the smallest scale. It looks at atoms, molecules, and subatomic particles of matter that don’t obey everyday rules. This has led to new devices that solve problems we didn’t even know could be solved.
The paper describing these results was co-authored by researchers Curti Menon, Dr Eloisa Cuestas, Dr Thomas Fogarty and Professor Thomas Bush and published in the journal. Nature.
Scientists from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), working with teams from the University of Kaiserslautern-Landau and the University of Stuttgart, have developed an engine that does not mimic the noisy machinery under the hood of a car. They chose a trick from the quantum game: the use of entanglement.
Quantum entanglement has baffled scientists for decades. Albert Einstein once called it “a chilling act when viewed from a distance.” In ordinary life, nothing moves faster than light. But the entangled particles are connected in such a way that what happens to one seems to immediately affect the other, even if they are far apart.
In traditional machines, the piston moves as hot gases expand. In a quantum engine, motion occurs due to a change in the behavior of particles. Not all particles are the same. Some belong to a group called bosons, and some belong to a group called fermions. At very low temperatures, bosons transition to lower energy states than fermions.
This difference in energy turns out to be key. Instead of fire and heat, turning bosons into fermions and back could create jobs. In this design, particles undergo changes in their quantum nature and this shifting feature triggers the mechanism.
“To convert fermions into bosons, you can take two fermions and combine them into a molecule. This new molecule is a boson,” explained Professor Thomas Busch, Head of the Quantum Systems Unit. “This decay allows us to get fermions again. By doing this cyclically, we can power the engine without using heat.”
A normal engine ignites fuel. A quantum engine avoids this step. It changes particle types and uses the resulting energy difference. Although this type of engine operates only in quantum mode, the team found that its efficiency was quite high, up to 25%, using an existing experimental setup created by collaborators in Germany.
These results show that quantum effects are not just textbook oddities. At least they might do something useful under controlled laboratory conditions. But all participants know that the real programs are just around the corner.
“While these systems can be extremely efficient, we have only done a proof of concept with our experimental colleagues,” Kirti Menon explained. “There are still many challenges in building a useful quantum engine.”
Quantum devices are notoriously picky. Heat destroys the delicate conditions necessary for operation. The slightest temperature difference may cause the system to malfunction. For it to be stable, scientists need to cool everything down. This itself requires serious effort and energy. Preventing heat inside the engine means creating as calm and cool an environment as possible.
This research moves in a direction that could help people think differently about how to extract energy from materials. Rather than relying on old-fashioned methods, it encourages a rethinking of the nature of energy and how it can be extracted from its source without the need for a spark of flame.
This is just the beginning. The researchers plan to proceed by asking complex questions about how the engine works at its most basic level. They hope to see how it could be connected to other devices, such as small batteries or sensitive sensors. There are still many pieces to put together, but the basic idea is clear. The quantum world offers behaviors that do not occur in ordinary life. If scientists can keep these particles stationary, control their states, and move them through clever loops, a whole new class of engines could emerge.
Current research gives no indication that standard car engines will be replaced anytime soon. Our trucks and buses do not move by quantum effects. It’s about understanding what’s possible. For those interested in where quantum technology might lead, this is a hint that more surprises may be in store.
Quantum mechanics once seemed too strange to be useful. It now powers computers that solve problems at speeds we never imagined and establishes communication channels that would be extremely secure for any hacker.
Even if they remain in the laboratory, adding engines to this list changes the way we think about how technology might work. It’s no longer about making a car better than a car engine. It’s about seeing that there is another way. Without burning fuel or relying on hot gases, the smallest particles have their own energy.
By converting fermions into bosons and back, the researchers showed that the exchange itself could power a small, efficient engine. This small step is another example of how quantum physics can show us unexpected possibilities. The full text of the research was published in the journal Nature.
Source: Port Altele
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