Their research is published this week in Nature Physics.
Quantum mechanics normally shows its influence only for tiny particles at ultralow temperatures, but the team mixed electrons with light to synthesise supersized quantum particles the thickness of a human hair, that behave like superconductors.
Building microscopic cavities which tightly trap light into the vicinity of electrons within the chip, they produced new particles called ‘polaritons’ which weigh very little, encouraging them to roam widely.
Image: Dual Wave/Particle Nature of Light Credit: Meeblax from Flickr
Reproduced courtesy University of Cambridge Office of Communications