Quantum Engine Developed by Researchers
A team of researchers from the Kvante system of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), together with scientists from the University of Kaiserslauturn-Landau and the University of Stuttgart, has successfully created a quantum engine using the principles of quantum mechanics.
The newly developed quantum engine operates differently from traditional engines. Instead of relying on the explosion of fuel and air to generate energy, the scientists manipulated the quantum properties of particles in gas without using heat. At extremely low temperatures, quantum effects come into play, causing bosons to have a lower energy state compared to fermions. This discrepancy in energy levels can be utilized to power the engine by converting bosons into fermions and vice versa.
“To convert fermions into bosons, we can combine two fermions to form a molecule, which becomes a boson. By then destroying this molecule, we can retrieve fermions once again. By cyclically repeating this process, we can operate the engine without the need for heat,” explained Professor Thomas Bush, the head of quantum systems at OIST.
Despite the promising potential of this breakthrough, the practical application of the quantum engine in cars is uncertain at this stage. Korty Menon emphasized, “While we have successfully demonstrated the system’s efficacy, this is just the first step.”
Maintaining low temperatures is crucial in order to preserve the stability of the quantum state, as heat can disrupt quantum processes. However, providing such conditions requires significant energy consumption.
The researchers’ next objective is to optimize the engine’s performance and explore its potential applications in other devices, including batteries and sensors.
The findings of this study have been published in the journal Nature.