The team, led by Sander Otte, focused on a particular titanium isotope, Ti-47, which contains fewer neutrons than its more common counterpart, Ti-48. This small change gives the nucleus magnetic properties, allowing it to interact with the spin of the electron in the atom’s outer shell. This interaction, known as the hyperfine interaction, is quite weak but crucial to the experiment.
The researchers used a special microscope to manipulate and measure the spin of the electron. By applying a precisely tuned magnetic field and voltage pulse, they successfully caused electron and nuclear spin “oscillations” that were observed within a fraction of a microsecond. This experiment confirmed that quantum information was not lost during the interaction, confirming Schrödinger’s predictions about quantum behavior at such small scales.
The results of this study are significant. Storing quantum information in the core could provide greater protection against external influences and potentially improve quantum computing technologies.
Source: Ferra
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