Physicists of the University of Bonn have succeeded in using “laser tweezers” to sorti up to seven atoms and line them up.

The next aim of the Bonn physicists is to construct a quantum gate. For this purpose they want to “write” quantum information onto two caesium atoms and then place them between two tiny mirrors. The intention is that they should interact there with each other, i.e. exchange information by emitting and absorbing fluorescent light. If this is successful, it will be the next milestone for the Bonn researchers on their way to the quantum computer.