This is the First-Ever Photo of Quantum Entanglement

Scientists have unveiled the first photograph ever captured of quantum entanglement, the physical phenomenon in which two or more “entangled” particles are connected via their quantum states, even across vast distances.

Physicists at the University of Glasglow published the image and a report of their findings in the journal Scientific Advances in a paper titled, “Imaging Bell-type nonlocal behavior.”

The groundbreaking photo shows two entangled photons sharing physical states for a brief moment in time in a strong form of quantum entanglement called Bell entanglement.

To create the photo, scientists pumped a beta barium borate (BBO) crystal with an ultraviolet laser, which produces quantum linked photons. This stream of entangled photons was then separated with a beam splitter, and the first photon was sent through objects that change the phase of photons passing through.

An ultra-sensitive camera was triggered to capture photos of both entangled “twin” photons, resulting in the image of quantum entanglement.

The scientists say that this pioneering photo opens the door to “a whole new class of quantum imaging demonstrations and techniques.”


Image credits: Photographs courtesy the University of Glasgow

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