By: Harper Dame
Though many individuals can be baseball fans, they are only really fans of being thrown and caught. Scientists now have the ability to throw and catch single atoms just by using light. An atom is considered to be one trillionth of a meter large, significantly smaller than a baseball.
Scientists were able to throw a rubidium atom over a distance of 4.2 micrometers at a speed of 65 cm/s (centimeters per second).
Some may ask, why is throwing atoms relevant? Throwing atoms gives us a better understanding of quantum physics, which not only solves problems but also advances quantum mechanics and computing. Throwing atoms can help us relate relative locations of qubits, which are the quantum equivalent to binary bits (zeros and ones of a computer). This research may also help us create a new chemistry field called atom-by-atom chemistry.
Catching a flying atom can be quite challenging, since it requires quantum computing projects that involve optical traps that help arrange atoms in specific ways. Free-flying atoms are quite challenging to produce. In order to perform this experiment, scientists chilled rubidium atoms to ~0 K, near a sub zero temperature. An optical trap holds a singular atom and consists of a 800 nm laser. The trap accelerates and then turns off, causing the rubidium atom to move. Then, the second trap is turned on in order to catch the incoming atom.
Scientists wanted to test the validity of their method by proof-of-principle demonstrations. This means they repeated the same experiment multiple times in order to ensure that the same result occurred. In these recreations, the same result was created 94% of the time, proving their initial experiment to be a success.
How is this a game?