Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘Elevate: Push Beyond Your Limits'
The Marketing Minute: The First Step to More Sales—Marketing
It’s Only Common Sense: Customer Service Is Sales in Disguise
Controlling Quantum States Atom by Atom
June 15, 2016 | University of BaselEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
An international consortium led by researchers at the University of Basel has developed a method to precisely alter the quantum mechanical states of electrons within an array of quantum boxes. The method can be used to investigate the interactions between various types of atoms and electrons, which is essential for future quantum technologies, as the group reports in the journal Small.
Using the tip of a scanning tunnel microscope, a single xenon atom (yellow) is being moved from a quantum box (blue), thus specifically altering its electronic quantum state. (Image: University of Basel, Department of Physics)
Applications of quantum mechanics are often compromised by the fundamental property of quanta: any measurement inevitably modifies the measured state. Technologies such as quantum computers can be designed only on the basis of known, clearly defined and simple interactions between individual components. The Department of Physics at the University of Basel together with the Swiss Nanoscience Institute has now developed a method that can be used to study these kinds of interactions in a well-defined system.
Similar to a breadboard in electrical engineering
Breadboards are used in electronic measurement technology to design and test prototypes of electronic circuits and for teaching purposes. The procedure developed by the international consortium led by Prof. Thomas Jung of the University of Basel works in a similar way: for the first time, the new method allows researchers to configure a network of quantum boxes in order to form various quantum electronic states. A quantum box is an artificially produced structure that restricts a particle’s movements, so that it can move in only two dimensions. This reduces the complexity of a particle interaction and simplifies the process of measurement and analysis.
The research team refined an established method in which atoms are repositioned one after the other using scanning tunneling microscopy, allowing the creation of clearly defined quantum systems. Through the targeted relocating of xenon atoms in quantum boxes, the team succeeded in generating different patterns that correspond to a wide range of quantum states.
Essential tool for quantum technology
The development of quantum technology relies on a detailed understanding of the interdependence between different electronic states; for example, in various atoms. With the physicists’ method, quantum states can be accurately reproduced and interactions between various chemical elements and well-defined electronic states examined – an “unlimited playing field for the study of quantum states”, as the researchers write in Small.
A range of institutions contributed to the project’s success: the theory was outlined by researchers from Linköping (Sweden), the molecules used were synthesized in Heidelberg (Germany), and scientists from San Sebastián (Spain) were responsible for some of the complex measurements of the specific quantum states.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Libra Industries Launches In-House High Precision Underfill Capabilities
07/17/2025 | Libra IndustriesLibra Industries, a leading provider of systems integration and electronics manufacturing services (EMS), is excited to announce the addition of high-precision underfill to its in‑house manufacturing capabilities.
The Government Circuit: Three Inescapable Conclusions About Global Trade Policies
07/17/2025 | Chris Mitchell -- Column: The Government CircuitAmid a series of recent moves by U.S. President Donald Trump to escalate trade policy pressure on key U.S. partners, including Europe, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Malaysia, the Global Electronics Association’s recent report on global trade flows in the electronics industry is overflowing with relevant insights.
The Wire Association International’s Wire Expo to Co-Locate with the Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo (EWPTE)
07/16/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationThe Wire Association International Inc. (WAI) announces plans to co-locate its biennial Wire Expo with the Wiring Harness Manufacturer’s Association (WHMA)/Global Electronics Association’s Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo (EWPTE) May 6-7, 2026. The two shows will co-locate at the Baird Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
HyRel Technologies, NJ MET Announce Strategic Collaboration for Integrated Component Services
07/16/2025 | HyRelThe collaboration brings together two trusted names in the electronics industry, uniting over 75 years of combined expertise to offer a more complete solution for customers seeking fast, reliable, and cost-effective services.
Amtech Launches BOMsense Free Online Tool to Help Manufacturers Reduce Tariff Risk and BOM Surprises
07/16/2025 | AmtechAmtech Electrocircuits, a leading provider of manufacturing solutions, is proud to announce the release of BOMsense™, a free, Web-based tool that gives engineers, buyers, and program managers immediate insight into their electronics Bill of Materials (BOMs) to proactively manage tariff exposure, HTS classification, and cost risks.