Quantum batteries use the same features of quantum mechanics that make the next generation of quantum computers possible, but they can also enable instant charging of products instead of greatly increasing the computing power of computers.
A team of scientists at the Institute of Basic Sciences in Korea and the University of Insubria in Italy have made the breakthrough towards realizing this technology using a quantum mechanical system known as a micromaser.
Quantum batteries use an electromagnetic field to store charged energy via a stream of qubits, while also protecting against the risk of overcharging.
The researchers described a micromaser as a “perfect quantum battery model” and successfully demonstrated that charging is faster than classical charging.
ELECTRIC CARS CAN CHARGE IN 3 MINUTES
South Korean researchers have calculated that quantum battery technology can reduce home charging times for electric cars from 10 hours to just three minutes, while supercharging stations can fully charge a vehicle in just 90 seconds.
In a study published earlier this year, scientists recorded how the charge time of a quantum battery actually decreases as the size of the battery grows.
This is because of a phenomenon known as quantum acceleration, which has to do with molecules getting more entangled as the battery gets larger.
This allows them to charge batteries in batches instead of charging them in parallel as conventional batteries do.
If the research is successful, scientists hope a new era of ultra-efficient batteries will come, changing the way we use everything from smartphones to electric cars.
The latest research is detailed in a study entitled ‘Micromassors as Quantum Batteries’.
It was published in the scientific journal Quantum Science and Technology.