Driving the Quantum Revolution: Anticipating the Emergence of Quantum Engines

Quantum mechanics, a field of physics investigating the behaviors and interactions of particles at incredibly small scales, such as atoms and molecules, has spurred the development of advanced technologies surpassing traditional counterparts. This progress has notably impacted computing, communication, and energy domains.

At the Quantum Systems Unit of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), collaborative efforts with researchers from the University of Kaiserslautern-Landau and the University of Stuttgart have resulted in the conception and construction of an engine grounded in the distinctive principles governing particles at minuscule scales.

The team has innovatively devised an engine utilizing quantum mechanics principles to generate power, departing from the conventional method of burning fuel. The research paper detailing these findings, co-authored by OIST researchers Keerthy Menon, Dr. Eloisa Cuestas, Dr. Thomas Fogarty, and Prof. Thomas Busch, has been published in the journal Nature. In a classical car engine, a mixture of fuel and air is typically ignited within a chamber, leading to an explosion that heats the gas, subsequently propelling a piston and generating work to drive the car’s wheels.

In contrast, the quantum engine developed by the scientists replaces the reliance on heat with a manipulation of the quantum properties of particles in the gas. To comprehend how this alteration can fuel the engine, it’s essential to note that all particles in nature fall into categories of either bosons or fermions, determined by their unique quantum characteristics. At extremely low temperatures, where quantum effects become significant, bosons exhibit a lower energy state than fermions. This energy disparity can be harnessed to power the engine. Instead of the cyclical heating and cooling of a gas in a classical engine, the quantum engine operates by transforming bosons into fermions and vice versa.

Explaining the process, Prof. Thomas Busch, leader of the Quantum Systems Unit, clarified, “To transform fermions into bosons, the approach involves combining two fermions to form a molecule, effectively turning it into a boson. Breaking down this newly created molecule allows the retrieval of the original fermions.

By repeating this cyclically, the engine can operate and generate power without relying on heat.” While this particular engine exclusively functions in the quantum realm, the research team discovered that its efficiency is notably high, reaching up to 25% with the current experimental setup constructed by the collaborative team in Germany.

This innovative engine marks a significant advancement in the realm of quantum mechanics and holds the potential for further progress in the expanding field of quantum technologies. However, the prospect of quantum mechanics powering conventional car engines may not be imminent. Keerthy Menon explained, “While these systems exhibit high efficiency, our work is currently at a proof-of-concept stage, conducted in collaboration with our experimental partners. Numerous challenges remain in the development of a practical quantum engine.”

The sensitivity of quantum states to heat poses a challenge, as elevated temperatures can disrupt quantum effects. Consequently, researchers must maintain the system at extremely low temperatures, demanding a considerable amount of energy to safeguard the delicate quantum state during experiments. Moving forward, the research will focus on addressing fundamental theoretical questions regarding the system’s operation, enhancing its overall performance, and exploring potential applications in commonly used devices like batteries and sensors.

This article is republished from PhysORG under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.