Scientists from the California Institute of Technology used quantum entanglement to develop a technique that can double the resolution of light microscopes. This method provides higher-resolution imaging without causing any damage to the living specimens being observed.
The team led by Lihong Wang, Bren Professor of Medical Engineering and Electrical Engineering, published the findings of their study titled "Quantum Microscopy of Cells at the Heisenberg Limit" in the journal Nature Communications.
Scientists Introduced Quantum Microscopy by Coincidence for Higher Resolution
According to SciTech Daily, quantum entanglement is a phenomenon in which two particles are connected in such a way that the state of one particle is dependent on the state of the other, regardless of their proximity.
In the study, Caltech researchers have developed a new microscopy technique called quantum microscopy by coincidence (QMC), which uses quantum entanglement to double the resolution of light microscopes. QMC works by using two entangled photons, known as a biphoton, which behaves as a single particle with double the momentum of a single photon.
Since the wavelength of a wave is inversely related to the momentum of the particle, the biphoton's wavelength is half that of a single photon, allowing for increased resolution.
While other methods of reducing the wavelength of light in microscopes, such as using green or purple light, also exist, these methods carry more energy that can damage living cells, making them unsuitable for imaging. QMC, on the other hand, allows for higher-resolution imaging without damaging specimens.
The technique could have applications in the field of medical imaging, where high-resolution imaging of cells and tissues is important for diagnosis and treatment.
The use of quantum entanglement in microscopy is a significant breakthrough, as it has the potential to revolutionize the field of microscopy and lead to new discoveries. However, there is still much research to be done to refine the technique and explore its full potential.
The QMC technique avoids the limitations of conventional microscopy by using biphotons that have a shorter wavelength, like high-energy photons, but with the lower energy of longer-wavelength photons.
Wang explains that cells are not suitable for UV light, but QMC can use 400-nanometer light to image the cells with the resolution of 200-nm light, which is UV, without harming the cells.
Future of Quantum Imaging
The researchers' setup for QMC uses a laser that creates a biphoton, with one photon passing through the object being imaged while the other avoids it entirely, and the resulting image is detected.
In their experiment, the team was able to produce imaging of cancer cells that a classical microscope could not distinguish between, without damaging the cells.
The implications of this research are particularly significant in medical imaging, where higher-resolution imaging is needed to identify cellular problems. Further research could explore using multiple photons to increase the resolution while minimizing noise from the photons' interaction with the environment.
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