The laws of physics at the quantum level can be freed from the standard confines of solids, liquids and gases, and researchers have just observed an exotic quantum state of matter, a particular form of organization and behavior of particles. What’s more, it was designed at room temperature, without the extreme cooling that quantum states typically require. The results of the experiments, carried out by an international team of researchers, were published in Science Advances. They point the way to more practical uses of quantum technology in sensors and advanced computing systems. Part liquid and part solid, the quantum state was created using a small light-trapping structure called a microcavity. As a quantum testbed, the setup has a lot to offer: it is relatively inexpensive, voltage-controllable, and does not require a cryocooler. frameborder=”0″ enable=”accelerometer; autoplay; writing on clipboard; encrypted media; gyroscope; picture in picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” enablefullscreen> “Our liquid crystal microcavities can operate even at temperatures close to 60°C (140°F),” says physicist Wiktor Piecek of the Military University of Technology in Poland. The technical term for this quantum state is a supersolid in a Bose-Einstein exciton-polariton condensate, which probably needs some decay for us who are not quantum physicists. Two of the states that exist in the quantum realm are superfluids (a liquid that can flow without resistance) and supersolids (superfluids but with a regular, repeating crystalline structure instead of a loose fluid structure. That’s the supersolid part. The exciton-polariton is a hybrid quasiparticle (multiple particles that act as one), combining light and matter. Bose-Einstein (BEC) is where multiple particles or quasiparticles become a single quantum entity. An illustration of the quantum state of matter, which combines superfluidity with a crystalline structure (Marcin Muszyński/University of Warsaw) To produce this quantum state, the researchers combined a liquid crystal (which can be controlled by voltage) and an organic semiconductor (which interacts strongly with light). “This is a classic example of spontaneous symmetry breaking,” says physicist Guillaume Malpuech of France’s National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). The supersolid could choose between several equivalent states, and that’s exactly what we observed. “Although the individual particles produced by the researchers only lasted fractions of a second, they were enough to obtain the same results. Several samples were tested with the same results, which were also supported by computer simulation models. Routes to further develop the experiments could involve working on ways to make the core reactions last longer and interrogating in more detail the quantum vortices that appeared (defects in the fringe patterns that indicated superfluid behavior.) The spin-orbit coupling shown here (the linking of light polarization and motion that created the supersolid arrangement). Almost any quantum effect involving light, including those related to computer chips and advanced sensors, could benefit later. Rebecca Dyer and edited by Rebecca Dyer. In our process, we are human. If you spot an error, please let us know.
