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The above animation simulates six
ions in "cat" states, spinning in two opposite directions at
the same time. Each ion spins both left (clockwise, shown in blue)
and right (counter-clockwise, shown in red) simultaneously, a condition
called a superposition. The six ions are also entangled with each
other, so their properties are correlated. If one ion is measured
with a laser (shown as a blue beam), that ion's delicate superposition
will "collapse" and it will spin in only one direction (clockwise/blue
in the animation). Entanglement causes the other five ions to immediately
spin in the same direction (they all turn blue). Back
to news release See also: A-Z Subject Index, NIST Home Page Created:
11/30/2005
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