Researchers have demonstrated, for the first time, that quantum fluctuations – the temporary appearance of energy out of nothing – can be harnessed to alter the properties of materials. The breakthrough, detailed in a new paper published in Nature, could pave the way for manipulating materials without any external force, opening up possibilities for novel electronic devices and more.
Vibrations Influence Material Properties
According to the theoretical framework underpinning the research, specific vibrations can influence electromagnetic fields and the electronic characteristics of other materials. The core idea is that simply introducing a two-dimensional (2D) material could be enough to achieve this manipulation.
“This is the Holy Grail”
“This is the holy grail we’ve been searching for decades – now we might have found it,” said Dmitri Basov, Higgins Professor of Physics at Columbia University in New York, who led the experimental work. The team, including first author Itai Keren, used a 60-nanometer-thick flake of hexagonal boron nitride as a “quantum amplifier” in their experiment.
The boron nitride was paired with a much thicker crystal of κ-ET, an organic superconductor that loses its electrical resistance when cooled below 11.5 Kelvin. The superconductor was placed in a vacuum chamber, and the boron nitride flake was then positioned on top of the crystal.
Boron Nitride Stops Superconductivity
The effect was immediate: as soon as the boron nitride flake made contact, the κ-ET crystal lost its superconductivity – without any application of heat, laser light, or other external influences. The suppression extended at least half a micrometer into the superconductor crystal, a distance ten times the thickness of the boron nitride flake itself, according to Keren and his colleagues.
This experiment provides the first experimental evidence that amplified quantum fluctuations can indeed influence and change the properties of materials. In this instance, they halted superconductivity in the κ-ET crystal. “Vacuum fluctuations are extremely weak, but the effect we observed is huge,” said co-author Angel Rubio from the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter in Hamburg.
Resonant Vibrations Drive the Effect
Further analysis revealed the mechanism behind this effect: the quantum fluctuations amplified by the boron nitride vibrate at the same frequency as the carbon-carbon bonds within the superconductor crystal. “Because the vibrations match, they interact with each other,” explained Keren. This interaction alters the behavior of electrons in the superconductor, preventing the flow of electricity without resistance.
The magnitude of the effect even surprised the researchers. “The theory cannot fully explain the results yet,” Rubio stated. “But we now have experimental proof that these interactions driven by vacuum fluctuations exist in materials.” Although further analysis and experimentation are needed, the physicists view their experiment as a significant milestone.
Potential for Novel Applications
Looking ahead, these quantum fluctuation amplifiers could lead to new applications. “We now have proof that you can change the electronic properties of materials in this way,” said Tatiana Webb, a colleague of Keren’s. 2D materials like hexagonal boron nitride could therefore be used to selectively trigger – or suppress – specific electronic effects without any additional energy input.
The researchers also believe that the resonant frequency of the vibrations generated by the quantum fluctuations can be controlled by adjusting the thickness and type of 2D material. “If we can control them, we can manipulate our superconductor in a targeted way,” Keren said. “But this goes beyond superconductors.” Other magnetic or electrically conductive materials could potentially be controlled using this method. (doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-10062-6)
Source: Nature, Columbia University
2. März 2026 – Nadja Podbregar
