Scientists Freeze Motion Without Cooling, Unlocking a Quantum Breakthrough
Synopsis
ETH Zurich scientists achieved a breakthrough by levitating nano glass spheres and freezing nearly all motion at room temperature. Reaching 92% quantum purity without cooling, this advance paves the way for powerful quantum sensors and technologies.
For the first time, scientists have managed to “freeze” the motion of tiny objects at room temperature—something usually thought possible only near absolute zero. The breakthrough could open the way for powerful new quantum sensors and technologies without the need for costly, energy-intensive cooling systems.
How They Did It
Researchers at ETH Zurich levitated a stack of three ultra-small glass spheres, each just a fraction of the width of a human hair. Using finely tuned laser beams, sometimes called optical tweezers, they trapped the nanospheres in place inside a vacuum chamber.The ETH Zurich research on room-temperature quantum optomechanics is published in the journal Nature Physics (2025).
Normally, even when an object is suspended, it continues to jiggle due to random motion from heat and surrounding forces. But in this experiment, the researchers suppressed nearly all of that “classical” motion, leaving only the unavoidable quantum wiggle—what physicists call zero-point fluctuations.
This effect is so subtle that it had never been seen so clearly in an object made of hundreds of millions of atoms. Yet the ETH team was able to achieve 92 percent quantum purity, meaning almost all the observed movement came from quantum mechanics, not everyday physics.
Why It Matters
Until now, observing quantum behavior at this scale required cooling materials close to absolute zero (−273 °C), which demands expensive and complex equipment. The ETH experiment proved it can be done at room temperature, making quantum research and potential applications much more accessible.
“This is like building a vehicle that carries more cargo and uses less fuel at the same time,” explained Martin Frimmer, who led the project.
Future Applications
The ability to control quantum motion in relatively large systems could revolutionize technology. Some potential applications include:
- New quantum sensors to measure extremely weak forces—useful in the hunt for dark matter or in detecting single molecules.
- Medical imaging tools sensitive enough to pick up faint signals that normal machines miss.
- Navigation systems that work even when GPS signals are unavailable.
Physicists are also excited about the possibility of using this platform to test the link between quantum mechanics and gravity—one of the biggest mysteries in science. While still early, the ETH Zurich team believes their method can be scaled down and adapted for real-world devices. By eliminating the need for massive cooling systems, they have brought us a step closer to everyday technologies powered by the strange rules of quantum mechanics.