Scientific highlight by David Wilkowski

An optical trap for atoms with a subwavelength size but still in the (linear) diffraction limit, how to proceed?

Trapping single atom in an optical tweezer is now a key technic for quantum simulation and quantum computing with an array of neutral atoms. Researchers from MajuLab at NTU have implemented a new way to realize the optical tweezer using superoscillatory phenomenon that leads to a subwavelength trap with a size well below the standard diffracting limited size. This work opens the door for subwavelength array of atoms, which will facilitate for example the realization of fast two qubit gates or quantum simulations in on-demand lattice arrangement.