Scientists Finally Crack Quantum Puzzle from the 1960s

Scientists at the Niels Bohr Institute have solved a quantum puzzle first suggested in the 1960s. It involved strange quantum states inside superconducting vortices.

These quantum states exist at tiny energy levels, too small for regular experiments to spot. It’s like trying to see something hidden behind layers you can’t peel away.

Instead of searching for the states in their natural setting, the researchers created a new material system. This setup was made in a controlled lab environment.

They built a nano-sized superconducting cylinder and added a magnetic field. This recreated the same quantum behaviour seen in nature, but in a way they could study.

By designing the setup, researchers controlled the rules and could observe what was once hidden.

This success shows how useful the semiconductor-superconductor platform is. That platform itself was developed in Copenhagen around 10 years ago.

The team discovered the states by chance. At first, it seemed like a curiosity. But they soon realised the scientific value was much bigger.

These quantum states could help build hybrid quantum simulators. These simulators will help scientists study future materials that are too complex for today’s computers.

Read more at Sciencedaily.com. 

Research published in Physical Review Letters.