Lasers used to throw and catch single atoms for first time

Extremely cold atoms were thrown with one laser beam and caught with another. The technique could be used in quantum computing

By Karmela Padavic-Callaghan

Lasers have been used to throw and catch extremely cold, single atoms. The technique could be used to assemble quantum computers in the future.

To arrange atoms that are almost as cold as absolute zero into different configurations, researchers typically grab and carry them using very focused laser beams called optical tweezers. Jaewook Ahn at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea and his colleagues wanted to find a way to minimise the amount of time the optical tweezers …