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<\/p>\nPhysicists at the University of Oxford have accomplished a landmark achievement in quantum science, demonstrating for the first time a fourth-order quantum effect known as “quadsqueezing”.<\/p>\n
The breakthrough, detailed in Nature Physics on May 1, was achieved using a single trapped ion confined between electrode structures and manipulated with precisely calibrated laser fields.<\/p>\n
Remarkably, the Oxford team generated this elusive quantum interaction more than 100 times faster than would be expected through conventional experimental approaches.<\/p>\n
The research opens significant new avenues for quantum simulation, sensing and computing technologies, marking a proud moment for British physics research.<\/p>\n
Numerous physical systems behave as oscillating objects, much like springs or pendulums, and in quantum mechanics, these are termed quantum harmonic oscillators.<\/p>\n
Controlling such oscillations underpins modern quantum technologies, from ultra-precise measurement instruments to advanced computing systems.<\/p>\n
Standard squeezing techniques redistribute quantum uncertainty, sharpening one property whilst increasing imprecision in another.<\/p>\n
This principle already enhances gravitational-wave detectors such as LIGO.<\/p>\n
The breakthrough was achieved using a single trapped ion confined between electrode structures<\/p>\n
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DAVID NADLINGER<\/p>\n
However, more sophisticated interactions \u2014 trisqueezing and quadsqueezing \u2014 have long eluded experimentalists.<\/p>\n
These higher-order effects are inherently feeble and diminish rapidly as complexity increases.<\/p>\n
Consequently, the desired quantum behaviour typically becomes overwhelmed by noise before it can be observed, presenting a formidable experimental challenge.<\/p>\n
The Oxford researchers devised an ingenious solution by applying two precisely controlled forces to a single trapped ion simultaneously.<\/p>\n
![\"Oxford](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/oxford-university.jpg\")
Physicists at the University of Oxford have accomplished the landmark achievement in quantum science<\/p>\n
| FLICKR<\/p>\n
This technique builds upon theoretical work proposed in 2021 by Dr Raghavendra Srinivas and Robert Tyler Sutherland.<\/p>\n
Each force individually produces a straightforward, linear effect, yet their combination yields something far more powerful through a phenomenon called non-commutativity.<\/p>\n
Dr Oana B\u0103z\u0103van, the study’s lead author, explained: “In the lab, non-commuting interactions are often seen as a nuisance because they introduce unwanted dynamics. Here, we took the opposite approach and used that feature to generate stronger quantum interactions.”<\/p>\n
She added: “The fourth-order quadsqueezing interaction was generated more than 100 times faster than expected using conventional approaches.”<\/p>\n
The technique is already being extended to systems with multiple modes of motion and has been combined with mid-circuit measurements of the ion’s spin to simulate a lattice gauge theory.<\/p>\n
Because the method relies on tools already available across various quantum platforms, it could provide a broadly applicable route to advanced quantum simulation, sensing and computation.<\/p>\n
Dr Raghavendra Srinivas, who supervised the research, expressed considerable enthusiasm for what lies ahead.<\/p>\n
“Fundamentally, we have demonstrated a new type of interaction that lets us explore quantum physics in uncharted territory, and we are genuinely excited for the discoveries to come,” he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Physicists at the University of Oxford have accomplished a landmark achievement in quantum science, demonstrating for the first…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":469335,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[271],"tags":[117181,18,19,17,5,452,133,63657],"class_list":{"0":"post-469334","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-physics","8":"tag-best-of-britain","9":"tag-eire","10":"tag-ie","11":"tag-ireland","12":"tag-news","13":"tag-physics","14":"tag-science","15":"tag-sgg"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/116521453965229354","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/469334","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=469334"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/469334\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/469335"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=469334"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=469334"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=469334"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}