Quantum physicists at TU Wien have made groundbreaking discoveries on the formation of quantum entanglement, challenging long-held assumptions about its speed. The team studied attosecond timescales to understand how quickly entanglement occurs.
In the microscopic world of atoms and subatomic particles, time can be “negative” and particles exist in two places simultaneously due to superposition. Quantum entanglement connects particles that share a persistent connection, regardless of distance.
Measuring one particle instantly affects its counterpart, no matter the distance. According to Joachim Burgdörfer, a professor at TU Wien, entangled particles have common properties but not individual ones. The team showed that entanglement occurs in attoseconds, far faster than previously thought.
To study entanglement, researchers blasted atoms with high-intensity laser pulses, creating an entangled state between two electrons. They demonstrated the connection between their “birth time” and a second electron’s orbit. While exact times are unknown, research suggests that energy states influence when electrons depart or arrive.
The findings suggest that entanglement occurs as particles leave an atom. Iva Březinová notes that during this phase, particles interact, allowing precise measurements later. The study was published in Physical Review Letters and sheds light on quantum computing’s future reliance on understanding entanglement’s nature and processes.
Source: https://www.iflscience.com/scientists-have-finally-measured-how-fast-quantum-entanglement-happens-79721