Surely even if you haven’t seen Star Wars, you know that in various works of fiction there is a special tractor beam that can immobilize a space ship (or person) and move him anywhere you want. As with any technology that is described by science fiction, this one had a very logical rationale and recently a group of researchers from the University of Adelaide has created such a tractor beam. However, to stop the starships until they fail.
Naturally, the technology is purely scientific application and at the moment it is used to draw atoms and not allow them to move. According to the editors of the journal Physical Review Applied, with the research are the scientists, led by Dr. Philip light and a postgraduate Ashby Hilton, who themselves describe the technology as follows:
“Even though tractor beams in the films green or blue, in this case it is based on invisible infrared light. Beam captures the atom, floating in the chamber. Every atom that falls within the scope of the beam is drawn into it. And it can be hold indefinitely. Our experiments show that we can precisely control the light to create the right conditions for the control atoms.”
Dr. Philip light near the unit for generating magnetic rays
Now for the retention of atoms uses a “searchlight” beam, but scientists want to use for future test beam that will be formed from the full light cone. This will allow you to hold the atoms more efficiently and in complete darkness. In addition, such surveys can be useful in the study of the laws of quantum mechanics.
“What’s really interesting is that now we have the opportunity to carry out quantum experiments on the captured atoms. Our first experiments involve the use of these atoms as quantum memory elements. We hope that eventually our work could become part of a totally secure communication channel. This is a very interesting idea — we can move atoms and to manipulate them, but is able to protect them from the destructive effect of intense light.”
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