Massive quantum entanglement experiment could help solve a physics mystery

Few ideas are as mind-bending as quantum entanglement: that two objects remain intimately intertwined, even if they’re at opposite ends of the universe.

Key points:

Particles are entangled if they are created at precisely the same time and point Entangling massive objects in a stable way has proved tricky for experimental physicists In a paper published this week, two vibrating ‘drumheads’, comprising trillions of atoms, were kept in an entangled state for 30 minutes Observing quantum states in massive objects could help reconcile quantum mechanics with Einstein’s theory of general relativity

To date, stable entangled objects created by scientists have been mostly limited to tiny particles. Think atoms or electrons.

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> Entangling massive objects in a stable way has proved tricky for experimental physicists

Yes. I’d like to see more reports of failures, together with complete explanations of why it failed. This could tell us a lot more about fundamental physics than successes could.

Technical article

The previous attempt using “optomechanical oscillators” has not so far been good enough. Below thermal randomness is correlation, but experimental conditions need to get even better than that before entanglement occurs.

> Duan inequality

This seems to be the criterion for whether or not entanglement has been achieved. From Duan (2000). Hmm.

Nope. Don’t understand it.