Tijs Karman

Ultracold molecules are a promising material for quantum computing, but assembling them into a neat array, like eggs in a carton, is no easy feat. A method has been proposed to load molecules one by one into optical tweezers or lattices directly from a gas. The molecules immediately end up in the calmest state of motion.

A big sticky ball thrown onto a dusty shelf bounces off and kicks up a cloud of dust, but if you roll it slowly, it picks up every bit. Rydberg excitons behave just like that — they're giant 'atoms' inside a crystal, named after Johannes Rydberg.

A polar molecule is like a tiny dumbbell with opposite charges at its ends. Normally, such particles quickly stick together or fly apart when they meet — electric forces are too strong. But the authors of the work found a way to turn this aggressiveness into a controlled game.