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Quantum Light Source Matches Conventional Laser Performance in Ionization Test
A quantum light source produced ionization effects equivalent to a conventional laser 20 times more intense. The experiment marks the first reported use of quantum light to complete the initial step toward generating attosecond pulses.
May 22, 6:50 AM·1m read1 source
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Researchers demonstrated that a quantum light source can generate ionization comparable to a classical laser with 20 times higher intensity. The result was reported in a study published in Nature. Attosecond light pulses last for quintillionths of a second and are typically created using high-intensity lasers. The new source achieved the first step in the process of producing such pulses.
Jiang et al. showed that the quantum light source behaves like a classical laser of greater intensity. The team used the source to initiate atomic ionization, a necessary precursor for attosecond pulse generation. The work builds on prior research into squeezed vacuum states and nonlinear atomic interactions.
It provides a new approach for probing matter on extremely short timescales. 1038/s41586-026-10485-9.
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