世界上最神秘的猫——薛定谔猫又“变胖”了

Core Insights - Researchers from Austria and Germany have created the largest quantum superposition state to date using approximately 7,000 sodium atoms, representing the highest "macro degree" of Schrödinger's cat [1][2] - The experiment was conducted in a super high vacuum environment at 77 Kelvin (around -196 degrees Celsius), confirming the quantum wave properties of sodium atom clusters [2] Group 1: Quantum Superposition and Schrödinger's Cat - The concept of quantum superposition allows particles to exist in multiple states simultaneously, exemplified by Schrödinger's cat, which is both alive and dead until observed [1] - The macro degree is a measure of how close the superposition state is to a macroscopic state, calculated based on the size and mass of the "cat state" object, the distance between different quantum states, and the duration of the superposition [1] Group 2: Experimental Details and Implications - The sodium atom clusters had a diameter of approximately 8 nanometers, with distances between two simultaneous positions reaching 133 nanometers, over ten times the diameter of the clusters [2] - This new finding aids in understanding the boundary between microscopic and macroscopic scales, as well as the process of decoherence in quantum systems, which is crucial for the development of quantum computers [2]