Scientists develop world's first quantum battery: Why it matters
What's the story
Australian scientists say they have developed the world's first proof-of-concept quantum battery, a major step toward fully functional batteries with rapid charging times. The prototype was charged wirelessly with a laser and can perform a full cycle of charging, energy storage, and discharging. Lead researcher Dr. James Quach from Australia's national science agency CSIRO said this is the first prototype that completes all these steps.
Technology breakthrough
Quantum batteries use quantum mechanics to store energy
Quantum batteries, first proposed as a theoretical concept in 2013, use quantum mechanics to store energy. They could be more efficient than conventional batteries. The unique feature of "collective effects" allows quantum cells to charge faster when more cells are involved. This property was first demonstrated by Quach and his team in 2022 with no way to extract energy from that prototype battery.
Prototype advancement
Current prototype has capacity of few billion electron volts
The new prototype, detailed in the journal Light: Science & Applications, charges in femtoseconds (quadrillionths of a second) and stores energy for nanoseconds. However, the current prototype has a capacity of only a few billion electron volts, which isn't enough to power anything useful yet. The next step is to increase this storage time for practical use cases like mobile phone communication.
Future applications
Quantum batteries could revolutionize charging devices
Quantum batteries, charged wirelessly with lasers, could also be used for remote charging. This could revolutionize the way we charge devices like drones in flight or electric cars on the go. Professor Andrew White from the University of Queensland's quantum technology laboratory described this research as a working prototype that proves quantum battery isn't just an idea anymore.