Scientists Develop Ultra-Sensitive Quantum Sensor Capable of Detecting Dark Matter Particles
Finnish researchers achieve breakthrough detection of energy below one zeptojoule, opening new possibilities for quantum computing and astrophysics research.
Researchers at Aalto University in Finland have achieved a revolutionary breakthrough in quantum sensing technology, developing an ultra-sensitive calorimeter capable of detecting energy levels smaller than one zeptojoule—roughly equivalent to the work needed to move a red blood cell upward by one nanometer in Earth's gravity. The achievement represents the most precise energy measurement ever recorded and could transform fields ranging from quantum computing to the search for dark matter particles.
The research team, led by Academy Professor Mikko Möttönen in collaboration with quantum computing company IQM and the Technical Research Centre of Finland, used a sophisticated combination of superconducting and normal conducting metals to create their ultra-sensitive detector. The device works by detecting minute temperature changes when electromagnetic pulses interact with the sensor materials. Superconductors lose their resistance-free properties when heated even slightly, making them extraordinarily sensitive to tiny energy inputs.
"That combination of metals makes superconductivity such a fragile phenomenon that it weakens immediately if the temperature in the ultracold conductor rises even a little bit. This makes it such a sensitive setup," explained Möttönen, who is also a founder of the quantum computing company IQM. The team successfully detected a microwave pulse measuring just 0.83 zeptojoules, marking the first time a calorimetric measurement device has achieved such sensitivity levels.
The breakthrough has significant implications for quantum computing technology, since the calorimeter operates at the same extremely cold millikelvin temperatures required by qubits, the basic units of quantum information processing. This compatibility could enable new methods for monitoring and controlling quantum computer performance. Additionally, the technology could eventually allow scientists to count individual photons, a capability that has been a long-standing goal in quantum physics and astrophysics research.
Perhaps most exciting is the potential application to dark matter detection. The researchers believe their system could be adapted to search for axions, theoretical dark matter particles that might occasionally interact with normal matter. "We want to make this setup capable of measuring input that has an arbitrary time of arrival, which is important for things like detecting dark-matter axions in space when you have no idea when they might reach your system," the team noted. The findings were published in the journal Nature Electronics.
