At a Glance
- A study from Technion researchers revealed a new form of quantum entanglement based on photons’ total angular momentum (TAM) in nanoscale systems, marking the first new entanglement type in over 20 years.
- The researchers demonstrated that, within tiny nanoscale structures, photons’ interaction is driven by their total angular momentum, combining spin and orbital motion into a unified quantum state, unlike traditional systems.
- The breakthrough uses nanophotonics to manipulate light within small dimensions, where photons are characterized by a single rotational property. This allows for more efficient quantum entanglement and potential miniaturized quantum devices.
- This discovery has the potential to improve the design of photon-based technologies, enabling compact quantum computing and communication devices that are smaller and more powerful, similar to miniaturized electronic circuits.
- The findings promise significant advancements in quantum technology, with applications in high-speed processing and secure communication, transforming fields such as computing and cybersecurity while expanding our understanding of quantum mechanics.
A groundbreaking study from Technion researchers has revealed a new form of quantum entanglement involving photons’ total angular momentum (TAM) within nanoscale systems. Published in Nature, this discovery marks the first new entanglement type in over two decades and has the potential to revolutionize quantum communication and computing technologies. The researchers showed that photons, when confined to nanoscale structures, can be entangled based on their TAM rather than traditional properties like spin or trajectory.
The phenomenon of quantum entanglement, first proposed by Einstein in 1935, refers to the idea that two particles can remain connected so that the state of one instantly affects the state of the other, no matter the distance between them. In the new study, the Technion team demonstrated that photons’ interaction is driven by their TAM within tiny structures a thousand times smaller than a human hair. This property blends the photon’s spin and orbital motion into a single quantum state. This contrasts with the traditional separation of spin and orbital properties in larger-scale systems.
The team’s breakthrough involves using nanophotonics, a field where light is manipulated within extremely small dimensions. In these systems, separating a photon’s different types of rotational behavior is impossible. Instead, researchers found that photons are characterized by a single, unified property—the total angular momentum—allowing for more efficient quantum entanglement. This could lead to compact devices that use light for quantum computing and communication, making them smaller and more powerful, similar to how electronic circuits were miniaturized.
By applying this discovery, the team aims to improve the design and functionality of photon-based technologies. These findings open up new possibilities for building advanced, miniaturized quantum devices capable of high-speed processing and secure communication. The study expands our understanding of quantum mechanics and promises significant advancements in quantum technology, with applications that could transform everything from computing to cybersecurity.
References
- Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. (2025, April 11). Researchers discover a new type of quantum entanglement. Phys.Org; Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-quantum-entanglement.html
- Kam, A., Tsesses, S., Ilin, Y., Cohen, K., Lumer, Y., Fridman, L., Lotan, S., Patsyk, A., Nemirovsky-Levy, L., Orenstein, M., Segev, M., & Bartal, G. (2025). Near-field photon entanglement in total angular momentum. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08761-1
