Summary
Quantum physics describes matter and light in terms of discrete quanta and inherently probabilistic rules that depart from classical intuition. At its heart lie wave–particle duality—entities such as electrons or photons exhibit both extended‐wave interference and point‐like detection—and superposition, whereby a system may occupy multiple states simultaneously until measurement. Entanglement creates non-local correlations beyond any classical analogue. The quantisation of energy, momentum and angular momentum underpins phenomena from atomic spectra and chemical bonding to superconductivity and Bose–Einstein condensation. Modern research spans quantum optics, cavity and circuit quantum electrodynamics, hybrid photonic–mechanical platforms, ultracold gases and correlated condensed-matter systems. These discoveries drive quantum technologies in computation, simulation, communication and metrology. Quantum algorithms promise speed-ups for factoring and simulation of complex materials; quantum key distribution ensures provable security; squeezed and entangled states enhance precision sensing. The global significance of quantum physics emerges from its capacity to reveal new phases of matter, explore fundamental limits of information processing and offer disruptive applications in computing, secure networks and measurement at the ultimate sensitivity.
Research from Nature Portfolio
Quantum squeezing below the zero-point fluctuations has now been realised in a gigahertz mechanical resonator strongly coupled to a superconducting qubit, yielding non-Gaussian motional states with negative Wigner functions and enhanced quantum Fisher information. In hybrid semiconductor microcavities, zero-dimensional phonoritons—quasiparticles formed by exciton-photon condensates interacting with confined gigahertz phonons—have been observed, demonstrating bidirectional microwave-to-optical conversion under piezoelectric control. A high-gain SU(1,1) interferometer exploiting aperiodic poling in a nonlinear crystal has enabled Fourier-transform mid-infrared spectroscopy with undetected photons, combining increased photon flux, reduced sample exposure and broad spectral coverage in a single quantum-enhanced instrument.
Topic trend for the past 5 years
The graph below shows the article count in Nature Index journals for quantum physics.
* The ‘Current Index’ represents data for a 12-month rolling window, the current window is 1 May 2025 - 30 April 2026.
Technical terms
Matter wave: A quantum wavefunction describing the probability amplitude of a massive particle, with de Broglie wavelength λ=h/p.
Superposition: The ability of a quantum system to exist simultaneously in multiple eigenstates until a projective measurement collapses it to one outcome.
Entanglement: A non-classical correlation between subsystems such that the joint state cannot be factored into individual states, yielding instantaneous state updates upon measurement.
Quantum squeezing: Reduction of quantum uncertainty in one quadrature of a bosonic mode below the zero-point level at the expense of increased uncertainty in the conjugate quadrature.
Phonoriton: A hybrid quasiparticle arising from strong coherent coupling of exciton-polariton condensates with confined acoustic phonons.
SU(1,1) interferometer: A nonlinear interferometric scheme employing parametric amplifiers at both input and output to enhance phase or spectral sensitivity via quantum correlations.
Notable articles in quantum physics
- Double-slit photoelectron interference in strong-field ionization of the neon dimer. Nature Communications (2019).
- Quantum simulator to emulate lower-dimensional molecular structure. Science (2023).
- Quantum supremacy using a programmable superconducting processor. Nature (2019).
- Logical quantum processor based on reconfigurable atom arrays. Nature (2023).
- Quantum ground state and single-phonon control of a mechanical resonator. Nature (2010).
- Quantum squeezing in a nonlinear mechanical oscillator. Nature Physics (2024).
- Microcavity phonoritons – a coherent optical-to-microwave interface. Nature Communications (2023).
About these summaries
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Research
Position of Quantum Physics in Nature Index by Count
Leading institutions
| Institution | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) | 416 | 95.92 |
| University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) | 306 | 94.8 |
| Max Planck Society | 229 | 58.58 |
| Peking University (PKU) | 166 | 47.67 |
| French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) | 271 | 47.18 |
| The University of Tokyo (UTokyo) | 115 | 44.58 |
| Nanjing University (NJU) | 121 | 43.24 |
| Tsinghua University | 132 | 40.12 |
| Harvard University | 115 | 37.83 |
| Zhejiang University (ZJU) | 117 | 36.97 |
Leading countries/territories
| Countries/territories | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| China | 1317 | 1083.42 |
| United States of America (USA) | 1210 | 802.92 |
| Germany | 624 | 320.52 |
| Japan | 439 | 211.05 |
| France | 281 | 134.74 |
| United Kingdom (UK) | 299 | 110.1 |
| Switzerland | 198 | 82.56 |
| South Korea | 134 | 77.23 |
| Spain | 194 | 74.04 |
| Italy | 168 | 72.57 |
Collaboration
Top 5 leading collaborators in Quantum Physics
Collaborating institutions
Note: Hover over the bars to view details about each institution's Share.
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