A new visualization technique has been developed by physicists that allows for the observation of the transformation of lithium atoms into quantum waves. This breakthrough can provide insight into some of the least understood aspects of the quantum world. In a recent study, researchers were able to clearly observe how individual atoms exhibit both particle and wave-like behavior. The visualization technique captured sharp red dots representing luminous atoms transitioning into blurry clouds of wave packets, confirming the dual nature of atoms as both particles and waves, a foundational principle of quantum mechanics.
The researchers who pioneered this visualization technique have published their findings on the preliminary server arxiv, although their work has not yet undergone peer review. In their article, they emphasize that the wave nature of matter remains a fascinating aspect of quantum mechanics. They also suggest that this new technique could be instrumental in studying more complex systems, offering fresh insights into fundamental physics questions.
The concept of dualism between waves and particles was first proposed by French physicist Louis de Broglie in 1924 and further developed by Erwin Schrödinger two years later. According to this theory, all objects at the quantum scale, including all matter, exist simultaneously as particles and waves.
To capture an image of this dualistic behavior, physicists began by cooling lithium atoms to temperatures close to absolute zero and bombarding them with photons from lasers to remove their momentum. They then used additional lasers to trap the atoms in an optical lattice, creating discrete packages. By periodically switching the lattice on and off, the researchers were able to make the atoms transition between particle-like and wave-like states.
A microscope camera recorded the light emitted by the atoms as they transitioned between states, generating an image of sharp particle points within a blurry wave, in accordance with the Schrödinger equation. Yefsa Tarik, a co-author of the study and physicist from the National Center for Scientific Research and École Normale Supérieure in Paris, explained, “This visualization method involves reactivating the lattice to project each wave packet back into a distinct packet, transforming them back into particles—they are no longer waves.”
The scientists involved claim that this image is just a preliminary demonstration. The next phase of research will involve applying this technique to study more complex systems of strongly interacting atoms. Yefsa Tarik noted that exploring such systems could deepen our understanding of exotic states of matter, such as those found in the cores of dense neutron stars or in quark-gluon plasma following significant cosmic events.