Vienna Center for Quantum Science and Technology’s (VCQ) research team intends to study the quantum characteristics of huge objects.
Similar to a camera flash enlightening objects in darkness, a series of laser pulses can be utilised to analyse the ambiguous quantum behavioural pattern of a huge "macroscopic" object. This approach offers a new tool of exceptional performance for present experiments that extends the limits of the quantum world to larger scales.
Pulsed quantum optomechanics can directly probe quantum mechanical behavior, which is seen as the central rippling in this representation of a Schrödinger-cat state (left). Under constant observation these quantum features are washed out (right). Credit: VCQ/University of Vienna
The research team has published its findings in the paper "Pulsed quantum optomechanics", in which the team suggests a procedure that utilises flashes of light to study quantum behaviors of huge objects with exceptional resolution. The main idea is derived from the fact that quantum objects function abnormally on being observed. Michael R. Vanner, member of the Vienna Doctoral School Complex Quantum Systems, CoQuS and lead author of the paper says that in present methods, objects are continuously monitored and quantum features that can be actually obtained are becoming impossible to capture. This is similar to the blurring of the image captured of a quickly travelling object. He adds that, the flashes stop the movement and produce a sharp, clear image of the quantum feature.
With this novel approach, it will be possible for researchers to study the quantum world at a totally different scale of size and mass. Specifically, the method can be adapted directly to the current researches aiming to develop quantum phenomena in micro-mechanical resonators such as massive objects that vibrate mechanically.