Schrödinger's cat can be “hot” afterall

The Schrödinger's Cat thought experiment is often used to describe the quantum physics phenomenon where quantum objects can simultaneously exist in two different states. In quantum physics, the cat can be both dead and alive at the same time.

Scientists have long tried to simulate the conditions needed for an object to demonstrate the phenomenon. While this has never been done with an actual cat, physicists have been able to create a controlled environment that would let an object exist in two different states simultaneously.

Typically, the experiments involve cooling quantum objects to their ground state. To simplify, cooling the objects reduces the noise and stabilizes the qubits.

However, a new study by a research team from Innsbruck, Austria, claims that a quantum phenomenon can be observed in warmer, meaning less perfect, conditions.

Researchers led by Gerhard Kirchmair and Oriol Romero-Isart succeeded in creating quantum superpositions at temperatures sixty times hotter than the cavity's ambient temperature.

“Many of our colleagues were surprised when we first told them about our results because we usually think of temperature as something that destroys quantum effects,” adds Thomas Agrenius, who helped develop the theoretical understanding of the experiment.

However, higher temperatures don’t necessarily destroy the quantum phenomena, meaning that Schrödinger’s cat can be “hot.”

The discovery is rather exciting as it opens up new opportunities for the creation and use of quantum superpositions, especially under circumstances where achieving ground-state temperature can be challenging.

“Our work reveals that it is possible to observe and use quantum phenomena even in less ideal, warmer environments,” emphasizes Gerhard Kirchmair.

“If we can create the necessary interactions in a system, the temperature ultimately doesn't matter.”