Quantum Squeezing: Harnessing the Power of Probability to Push the Limits of Science

Sunday - March 3 2024, 22:15 UTC - 1 year ago

Scientists have been using gravitational waves to study the universe, but detecting them is difficult. The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) has detected 90 events so far, but physicists want to detect more. A new technique called quantum squeezing allows researchers to manipulate quantum systems and improve precision in measurement. This technique is being used in fields like precision sensing and quantum computing. Most recently, researchers have used quantum squeezing to improve LIGO's sensitivity and detect more black hole mergers and neutron star collisions.

When two black holes spiral inward and collide, they shake the very fabric of space, producing ripples in space-time that can travel for hundreds of millions of light-years. This phenomenon, known as gravitational waves, has become a crucial tool for scientists studying the cosmos. Since 2015, researchers have been able to observe these waves using the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) in Louisiana and Washington state .

These observations have helped answer fundamental questions about the universe, such as the origin of heavy elements like gold and the rate at which the universe is expanding. However, detecting gravitational waves is not an easy task. By the time they reach Earth, the waves have dissipated and become nearly undetectable. LIGO's detectors must be incredibly sensitive, capable of sensing motions on a scale of one ten-thousandth the width of a proton .

Despite this challenge, LIGO has confirmed 90 gravitational wave detections so far, and physicists are eager to detect even more. This will require making the experiment even more sensitive, which presents a significant challenge. Physicist Lisa Barsotti and her colleagues at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have recently made a breakthrough in this area by creating a device that will allow LIGO's detectors to detect far more black hole mergers and neutron star collisions .

This device is part of a growing class of instruments that harness the power of quantum squeezing.