Atoms that occur in nature interact with the electromagnetic field at a single point, allowing scientists to make certain assumptions about energy levels with point-like references.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
However, artificial giant atoms interact with that field at multiple points, which opens up new, interesting quantum abilities.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
A new study explores the applications of giant superatoms (GSAs) and shows how they can provide a compelling platform for quantum information processing.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Everyone is familiar with atoms\u2014the unfathomably small particles that make up all matter. Typically, atoms<\/a> are smaller than a wavelength of light, meaning scientists can make what they call \u201cdipole approximations\u201d and treat atoms as point-like, since they can only interact with the wavelength of light at one point. In other words, you don\u2019t need to account for any spatial variation. This is true of natural atoms, but also some artificial ones like Rydberg atoms, quantum dots, and superconducting qubits.<\/p>\n \u201cYou just have to take into account what is the value of the field<\/a> at this one, single point,\u201d Anton Frisk Kockum, a theoretical physicist from Chalmers University of Technology, explained in a 2021 video<\/a>, \u201cwhich makes life easy for theoreticians.\u201d<\/p>\n But what would happen if you created an artificial atom larger than a wavelength<\/a> of light, meaning that it could couple with the electromagnetic field at multiple points? Well, as it turns out, interesting things happen. When you put multiple giant atoms together, you get a decoherence-free transfer of quantum states (decoherence being when a quantum system loses its quantum qualities through things like thermal noise). Now, in a new study published in the journal Physical Review Letters<\/a>, Frisk Kockum and his team explore the next evolution of these artificial atoms\u2014giant superatoms, or GSAs.<\/p>\n \u201cOver the past years, there has been growing interest in so-called \u2018giant atoms,\u2019 which are quantum emitters that couple to their environment<\/a> at multiple, spatially separated points,\u201d Lei Du, the lead author of this new study, told Phys.org<\/a>. \u201cOur inspiration was to go a crucial step further by asking: what happens when you introduce internal interactions to such nonlocal quantum systems.\u201d<\/p>\n GSAs are made up of two or more artificial atoms that act as multilevel quantum emitters with the goal of improving giant atoms\u2019 decoherence-free abilities. The team investigated two primary configurations \u201cin both braided and separate GSA structures,\u201d according to the study. In the braided configuration, the GSAs displayed improved efficiency at swapping quantum information<\/a> while (crucially) maintaining coherence.<\/p>\n However, in the separate configuration, GSAs performed better at a phenomenon known as chiral emission, which can support \u201chigh-fidelity entanglement<\/a> distribution over long distances.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe GSAs introduced here are groups of artificial<\/a> atoms which are strongly connected to each other and have coupling points arranged such that the group becomes \u2018giant,\u2019\u201d Janine Splettstoesser, a co-senior author of the study from Chalmers University of Technology, told Phys.org. \u201cThis arrangement opens possibilities for radically new concepts.\u201d<\/p>\n Because maintaining coherence in quantum systems is the primary limiting factor for future quantum computers<\/a>\u2014after all, you don\u2019t have much of one if you lose its quantum abilities\u2014giant atoms and GSAs, the authors argue, could one day serve as a compelling platform for programmable quantum information processing.<\/p>\n Photo credit: Hearst Owned<\/p>\n Find Answers <\/a><\/p>\n Photo credit: Hearst Owned<\/p>\n Start Your Build<\/a><\/p>\n Photo credit: Hearst Owned<\/p>\n Get The Facts <\/a><\/p>\n Photo credit: Hearst Owned<\/p>\n Learn The Truth<\/a><\/p>\n Photo credit: Hearst Owned<\/p>\n What Are They? <\/a><\/p>\n Photo credit: Hearst Owned<\/p>\n Get The Facts <\/a><\/p>\n Photo credit: Hearst Owned<\/p>\n What Are They? <\/a><\/p>\n Photo credit: Hearst Owned<\/p>\n Start Your Build<\/a><\/p>\n Photo credit: Hearst Owned<\/p>\n Transform Your Perception<\/a><\/p>\n Photo credit: Hearst Owned<\/p>\n Transform Your Perception<\/a><\/p>\n Photo credit: Hearst Owned<\/p>\n![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/c582c78f9449acf4f9b5bd1dc06c73f8.jpeg\"\/)
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