Did you know that magnetism could potentially play a role in relaying quantum information? Well, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory has performed extensive research that has, according to their scientists, achieved efficient quantum coupling between two distant magnetic devices, which can “host a certain type of magnetic excitations called magnons.” 

Comparable to Quantum Entanglement

These “excitations” (excitation being like an altered state) happen when a magnetic field is generated by an electric current. Coupling then allows the magnetic devices to exchange energy and information, which may be useful to create new quantum information technologies, i.e., a quantum computer. Senior scientist, Valentine Novosad says that remote coupling is like a prerequisite to being able to do quantum work with magnetic systems. It illustrates how these excitations (magnons) can communicate instantaneously at a distance, unlimited by the speed of light. It’s comparable to what physicists call quantum entanglement.  For a quantum computer, particles need to be coupled and stay that way for a very long time. To achieve this lasting effect, researchers have built a superconducting circuit using two small yttrium iron garnet (YIG) magnetic spheres embedded in the circuit to support the excitations. This allows for low-loss coupling for the spheres.  The magnetically coupled spheres share a superconducting resonator in the circuit. So, even when they are almost a centimeter away from each other, they’re still coupled. 

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