New mathematical analyses suggest that a proposed method for creating a neutrino laser beam is hindered by fundamental quantum limitations.
Key facts
- •Ben Jones and Joseph Formaggio proposed using Bose-Einstein condensates of radioactive atoms to create neutrino lasers in 2025.
- •Wolfgang Ketterle’s team found the required quantum memory effect is 10,000 billion times too short to be effective.
- •Neutrinos are fermions, which leads to an 'anti-memory' effect that prevents atoms from emitting neutrinos in the rapid succession required for a laser.
- •The research team at MIT confirmed these findings through two rigorous mathematical investigations.
- •Kyle Leach noted that while the conventional model is likely unworkable, alternative processes involving multiple neutrino emissions remain an open scientific question.
A proposed method to create a laser beam of neutrinos, first suggested in 2025, is likely impossible to build according to two new mathematical studies. Researchers Ben Jones and Joseph Formaggio had theorized that cooling radioactive atoms into a Bose-Einstein condensate could amplify neutrino emissions into a coherent beam. However, a team led by Nobel laureate Wolfgang Ketterle has identified fundamental physical obstacles that prevent this design from functioning as intended.
The Proposed Mechanism and Its Flaws
The original proposal relied on the concept of a 'memory effect' within a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). The theory suggested that because all atoms in the condensate share a quantum state, the emission of a neutrino by one atom would influence subsequent emissions, forcing them into a directional beam. Ketterle’s team found that while a memory effect exists, it is approximately 10,000 billion times too brief to facilitate the creation of a beam.
Fermionic Behavior and Anti-Memory
Beyond the timing issue, the researchers identified an 'anti-memory' effect that would actively prevent the desired outcome. Because neutrinos are fermions, they follow different quantum rules than the particles of light used in traditional lasers. Ketterle explains that once an atom emits a neutrino, it is effectively restricted from immediately emitting another, which directly contradicts the requirements for forming a continuous laser-like stream.
Future Scientific Outlook
While the current analysis challenges the feasibility of the proposed design, some experts suggest the findings help clarify the specific difficulties involved in such experiments. Kyle Leach of Queen’s University notes that the study does not categorically rule out every theoretical configuration, such as scenarios where atoms might emit two neutrinos simultaneously. He suggests that definitive answers regarding the possibility of such processes will likely require future experimental testing.
Timeline
- 1940sResearchers began studying neutrinos.
- 1990sWolfgang Ketterle received a Nobel prize for creating some of the first Bose-Einstein condensates.
- 2025Ben Jones and Joseph Formaggio proposed the neutrino laser design.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by New Scientist.
