Scientists at the X-ray free-electron laser SwissFEL have realized a long-pursued experimental goal in physics: to show how electrons dance together. The technique, known as X-ray four-wave mixing, opens a new way to see how energy and information flow within atoms and molecules. In the future, it could illuminate how quantum information is stored and lost, eventually aiding the design of more error-tolerant quantum devices. The findings are reported in Nature.

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Scientists at SwissFEL have successfully demonstrated X-ray four-wave mixing, a technique that reveals how electrons interact within atoms and molecules. Using an aluminum plate with four tiny holes and extremely bright X-ray bursts, researchers observed coherences between electrons—quantum patterns that store information but are typically invisible. The breakthrough could help understand how quantum information is stored and lost in materials, potentially leading to more stable qubits and error-resistant quantum computers. The technique works similarly to NMR but operates at the electron scale, offering insights into chemical systems, advanced materials, and biological molecules.

X-ray four-wave mixing captures elusive electron interactions inside atoms and molecules

From a first signal to a mainstream imaging technology