Scientists have discovered a new type of quantum entanglement, says study

During a recent experiment in a particle collider, For the first time, scientists have been able to observe in detail a new type of atomic nucleus. quantum entanglement. Data published in scientific journal Science Advancesby scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York.

Normally, when scientists put two particles in the collider, they become so entangled that it is no longer possible to uniquely identify any of them. One can only be described through the other, so if the scientist makes a change in one particle, the process will trigger a change in the second particle as well.

In this process called quantum entanglement, after the exchange, the particles will react together even if they are at opposite poles of the universe. Fortunately, the new work has enabled us, for the first time, to detect some key differences in the quantum entanglement state.

In the study, scientists used gold ions in the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) in the United States to look for more information about this condition. By accelerating the ions, they were surrounded by clouds of photons so that when one ion approached another, the researchers were able to capture an image containing details of the other’s structure – in this case, photons of one could be captured by the other’s data.

different quantum entanglement

“We measure two outgoing particles and we see interference patterns that clearly show that their charges are different – they are different particles – but that these particles are either entangled or synchronized with each other, even though they are distinguishable particles,” said one of the study. writers. , ZhangbuXu.

When photons interact with ions, they create a process that produces negative and positive pion particles, thus the first detection of quantum entanglement with different particles. The discovery could help build quantum physics technologies and other methods for analyzing other gold ion data.

Despite the differences, positive and negative pions mingle and reinforce each other – they can even be considered ‘cousins’ of neutrons and protons. At the end of the analyzes the collider detector signals an entangled and distinct positive pion and a negative pion.

“The images are so precise that we can even begin to see the difference between where the protons are and where the neutrons are within these large nuclei,” said BNL physicist James Daniel Brandeburg.