A team from the University of Chicago has unveiled the first evidence for “quantum superchemistry” – a phenomenon where particles in the same quantum state collectively undergo accelerated reactions. While previously predicted, this effect had never been observed in the laboratory before.
The findings, published in Nature Physics on July 24, open the door to a new field. Scientists are intensely interested in what are known as “quantum-enhanced” chemical reactions, which could have applications in quantum chemistry, quantum computing, and other technologies, as well as in better understanding the laws of the universe.
“What we saw lined up with the theoretical predictions,” said Cheng Chin, a professor of physics and member of the James Franck Institute and Enrico Fermi Institute, whose lab conducted the research. “This has been a scientific goal for 20 years, so it’s a very exciting era.”
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