results could be measured.
But now, researchers from the University of Liège in Belgium have found a way to speed things up dramatically—by up to 10,000 times—making a once-impractical process fast enough for real-world quantum technologies.
The focus of their breakthrough is something called a “NOON state,” a special kind of quantum superposition. Imagine Schrödinger’s famous cat being both alive and dead at the same time—NOON states work on a similar idea but with atoms instead.
In a NOON state, atoms exist in two places at once, only revealing their true position when measured.
These strange, in-between states are vital for cutting-edge tools like quantum computers and ultra-precise sensors.
Until now, though, building these states using ultra-cold atoms was painfully slow, often taking many minutes—longer than the experiments could even last. The problem was a sort of “traffic jam” in the system, an energy bottleneck that forced the atoms to slow down when transitioning into these complex states.
Doctoral researcher Simon Dengis and his team solved the problem by designing a shortcut—essentially a quantum superhighway.
Using advanced mathematical techniques called “counterdiabatic driving” and “optimal geodesic paths,” they found a way to guide the atoms smoothly and quickly into a NOON state, without losing precision. Think of it like a motorcycle racer choosing the smoothest, widest curve on a racetrack to maintain speed instead of braking hard at a sharp turn.
The result?
The same process that used to take ten minutes can now be done in just 0.1 seconds, and with almost perfect accuracy.
This leap forward makes it finally possible to use NOON states in practical settings. That means we could soon see major improvements in devices that measure time, rotation, or gravity—like quantum gyroscopes or ultra-sensitive gravity sensors.
These tools are expected to play a big role in future technologies, from navigation systems to scientific instruments.
The work also shows how powerful a mix of theory and experimentation can be. By combining deep knowledge of quantum physics with smart engineering, the researchers have turned something once limited to theory into a usable technology.
Their study was published in Physical Review A and opens the door to faster, more efficient advances in the world of quantum science. With this new method, the future of quantum tech just got a whole lot closer.
Source: KSR.
