Scientists Control Light—Matter Interaction

[xtypo_dropcap]Q[/xtypo_dropcap]uantum computing could be one step closer thanks to a recent breakthrough in nanoengineering, according to research published in the journal Nature.

Using nanotechnology, researchers from the University of Maryland have been able to show a new type of interaction between light and matter.

The discovery could lead to advances in solar cells, energy storage, and quantum computing said lead researcher Min Ouyang in a press release.

The team developed a patent-pending method for making a new kind of crystal–metal hybrid nanostructure. Their hybrid nanostructures allow them to control the way light interacts with matter on a nanoscale.

The researchers said that their nanostructures not only had enhanced capabilities over the traditional type used in previous research, but they were also easier and cheaper to produce.