Scientists levitate 300 million atoms at room temp for quantum purity

Researchers at ETH Zurich have achieved a significant breakthrough in quantum physics by levitating a nano-cluster composed of three glass spheres, totaling 300 million atoms, at room temperature. Using an optical tweezer—a device that employs polarized laser light in a vacuum—they stabilized the cluster nearly motionless, effectively neutralizing gravity. Despite this, the cluster exhibited zero-point fluctuations, a quantum phenomenon where no object can be perfectly still, oscillating at one million deflections per second with movements measured at a thousandth of a degree. The team attributed 92% of the cluster’s motion to quantum effects, demonstrating an unprecedented level of quantum purity in such a large object without the need for cryogenic cooling. This achievement marks multiple records in precision and scale, as manipulating an object of this size quantum mechanically is notably challenging. Conducted at room temperature, the experiment offers a cost-effective and scalable platform for developing sensitive quantum sensors. These sensors have potential applications in navigation, medical imaging, and fundamental physics research, including