Researchers in Australia have unveiled what they describe as the world’s first working prototype of a quantum battery, a device capable of charging in a quadrillionth of a second through laser excitation. The proof-of-concept system, detailed in the journal Light: Science & Applications, represents a major step toward energy storage technologies that operate according to the principles of quantum mechanics rather than traditional chemistry, tells Live Science.
Unlike lithium-ion batteries, which rely on ions moving between electrodes through chemical reactions, the new device stores energy as electromagnetic excitation shared among coherent molecules. These molecules behave collectively through quantum effects such as coherence and entanglement, enabling the entire system to absorb energy simultaneously in what researchers call a “superabsorption” event.
The prototype was built using organic semiconductor layers placed between reflective silver mirrors, forming a microcavity that traps and amplifies light interactions. The design is based on the Dicke model in quantum optics, which predicts that strongly coupled light and matter systems can become superradiant, emitting or absorbing light collectively with exceptional efficiency.
During testing, scientists fired a femtosecond laser pulse into the battery, producing an excited quantum state that persisted for tens of nanoseconds. Although the stored charge duration sounds short, it was roughly one million times longer than the charging interval itself. Researchers suggested that, if similar scaling can be achieved in larger systems, a battery charged in one minute could potentially hold power for years.
One unusual characteristic of quantum batteries is that charging efficiency improves as the system grows larger, the opposite of conventional batteries. This raises the possibility of rapid charging for heavy electric vehicles, aircraft, or remote systems powered wirelessly by lasers. Scientists also see potential applications in quantum computing, where ultra-efficient energy delivery could become essential.
The biggest challenge remains decoherence, a process in which environmental disturbances disrupt delicate quantum states. Overcoming that limitation will determine whether quantum batteries evolve from laboratory demonstrations into practical energy technologies.