Quantum battery charges in a quadrillionth of a second with a laser — larger prototypes could last for years after charging for just a minute
Researchers have created the world’s first proof-of-concept miniature quantum battery. If the technology can be replicated, it could forever transform the field of energy storage and open up new possibilities for lightweight, remote electrification, experts say.
The research team presented the quantum battery design in a study published March 13 in the journal Light: science and applications. They claim it can be used for long-term battery storage, as well as high-density battery applications such as heavy-duty electric vehicles.
In a standard lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery, ions move between the cathode and the anode through an electrolyte. But inside a quantum battery, energy is stored as electromagnetic excitation among coherent molecules – molecules that share non-random internal states such as their vibrational energy or electronic states. This allows them to maintain a fixed relationship with each other.
Quantum batteries rely on strange laws of quantum mechanics. In this case, the researchers relied on quantum coherence, an effect in which a mass of local particles exists in multiple states at once. These particles, although in a “superposition” of states, act in predictable ways with respect to each other. Collected in the battery, the coherent particles undergo quantum entanglementmeaning that they are not simply aligned with each other but functionally identical, forming a larger system.
This allows all molecules in the battery to charge at a constant rate, regardless of their size. The more molecules involved, the more efficiently energy is absorbed throughout the system, meaning charging times decrease in real terms as battery size increases.
“Similar to conventional batteries, quantum batteries charge, store and discharge energy,” Hutchinson explained in the release. “But while everyday batteries rely on chemical reactions, quantum batteries exploit the properties of quantum mechanics. The advantage of the quantum system is that the system absorbs light in a single giant ‘super absorption’ event, which charges the battery faster.”
Composition of the quantum battery
To build the battery, the researchers relied on the Dicke model in quantum opticswhich states that when light and matter are coupled beyond a set value, they can become superradiant, that is, a group of emitters collectively emit light in a short, intense pulse.
Specifically, the battery is made up of a series of organic semiconductor layers (where the coupling occurs) sandwiched between silver mirrors, creating a microcavity – a microscopic structure that confines light to a small volume, allowing it to reflect multiple times.
This allows the coherent group of molecules or atoms to emit light in a unified pulse – a function necessary for discharging the quantum battery – as well as absorb light at a rate equal to the square of the number of coherent molecules. This is called superabsorption. The microcavity is essential for coupling and superabsorption because it provides the right confined environment to achieve the defined ratio of light to matter defined in Dicke’s model.
Beneath and above the organic semiconductors, hole blocking and electron transport layers ensure that electrons can flow to the cathode and electrodes when needed so that the system can actually function like a battery.
In tests at the University of Melbourne’s Ultrafast and Microspectroscopy Laboratories, the researchers fired a laser pulse with a bandwidth of 31 nanometers for one femtosecond (one quadrillionth of a second), which caused an excited state in the molecules for tens of nanoseconds (several hundred millionths of a second).
This means the battery is capable of holding a charge 1 million times longer than the time it takes to charge it.
On this scale, a battery that took a minute to charge could stay charged for “a few years”, according to the first researcher. James Quachchief scientist of CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, said The guardian.
In the future, researchers aim to increase the battery’s capacity while maintaining its charge. This is a major hurdle because the energy stored in quantum batteries is sensitive to ambient noise, which can disrupt or eliminate quantum behavior in a process called decoherence.
If this obstacle can be overcome, the implications of a practical quantum battery could be profound. For example, remote charging via lasers could open up more possibilities for drone or aircraft batteries, as they could be charged in the open air.
André Blancwho runs the University of Queensland’s Quantum Technology Lab, told the Guardian that an early application could be powering quantum computers at very low energy cost.
Hymas, K., Muir, JB, Tibben, D., Van Embden, J., Hirai, T., Dunn, CJ, Gómez, DE, Hutchison, JA, Smith, TA and Quach, JQ (2026). Superextended electrical power from a quantum battery. Light science and applications, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-026-02240-6
