Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Physicists Propose Tabletop Neutrino Laser Using Superradiant Radioactive Condensates

The proposal leverages superradiance to speed radioactive decay in a coherent quantum gas, creating a compact, correlated neutrino source.

Overview

  • Benjamin J. P. Jones and Joseph A. Formaggio detail the concept in Physical Review Letters, outlining how a radioactive Bose–Einstein condensate could emit a laser‑like burst of neutrinos.
  • Their calculations show that a cloud of one million rubidium‑83 atoms would transition from an ~82–86 day half‑life to minutes in the coherent state, producing a rapid neutrino surge.
  • The authors say a university‑lab tabletop test is feasible and plan to attempt it, but no experimental realization has been demonstrated yet.
  • Experts call the idea intriguing yet challenging because no radioactive Bose–Einstein condensate has been achieved, with short half‑lives, safety protocols, and detection sensitivity posing hurdles.
  • Suggested applications include studies of collective neutrino behavior, concepts for through‑Earth communication, and compact production of medical radioisotopes.