A team of international physicists, led by Dr. Jayson Cosme of the University of the Philippines, has made a groundbreaking discovery. They observed the long-theorized “birth of a torus” in quantum systems for the first time. This phenomenon, analogous to a rubber band transforming into a donut, describes transitions in systems. Until now, it only existed theoretically in the quantum realm.
The team used lasers, mirrors, and time crystals in their experiment. Time crystals are ultra-cold atoms switching between states. These can be represented by loops in phase space. A stable system is a simple loop. Irregular behavior requires more complex shapes, like a torus (donut).
In 2022, Dr. Cosme’s team created a “continuous time crystal.” This was done without a pulsating laser, using mirrors to trap and reflect the laser light onto rubidium atoms. Adjusting laser brightness caused the atoms to become time crystals.
This new research builds on that work. Dr. Cosme explained, “In this new study, we showed that cranking up the light intensity leads to another critical transition.”
With stronger lasers, the time crystal’s behavior became too complex for a simple loop representation. The phase space representation transitioned from a loop to a torus. This “birth of a torus” was observed due to the experiment’s extreme precision.
The discovery is published in Physical Review Letters. The extreme sensitivity of the time crystal to light makes this a significant finding. Dr. Cosme stated, “The transition between loop and torus depends on light intensity.” This means the system, near the transition point, can detect light or electromagnetic fields sensitively.
The team plans further research. They want to predict bifurcations in quantum systems. They will also explore phenomena like the Kibble-Zurek mechanism. Dr. Cosme concluded, “We’re quite excited about that, and we hope to share exciting news soon.” This discovery has implications beyond fundamental physics, possibly leading to new, ultra-sensitive light detectors. The “birth of a torus” marks a major leap in understanding quantum systems.
