A single piece of quantum hardware can now act as both a high-precision sensor and a battery at the same time.
Quantum hardware can switch between generating entanglement for sensing and storing energy as a quantum battery. Researchers demonstrated that the same subatomic components used to measure gravity or magnetic fields can also hold a charge. This dual-use capability eliminates the need for separate power and sensing systems in quantum devices. It means future quantum chips could power themselves using the very same states they use to perform calculations. This breakthrough simplifies the architecture of quantum computers and could lead to self-sustaining sensors for deep-space missions.
Dual-use quantum hardware for quantum resource generation and energy storage
arXiv · 2604.21913
Quantum resources such as entanglement form the backbone of quantum technologies and their efficient generation is a central objective of modern quantum platforms. Independently, quantum batteries have emerged as nanoscale devices that utilize collective quantum effects to store energy with a charging advantage over classical strategies. Here, we show that these two pursuits can co-exist: protocols for fast generation of resourceful quantum states can simultaneously charge a quantum battery with