CSIRO reveals the first working quantum battery prototype

CSIRO quantum battery: the first working prototype

Researchers at Australia’s CSIRO - the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation - have reported building what they describe as the world’s first functioning quantum battery prototype. Unlike conventional batteries, which store energy through chemical reactions, this new approach relies on quantum-physics effects to hold energy and release it again.

How the prototype is charged and generates electricity

The device is made from specialised microscopic layers designed to trap light. It is charged wirelessly using a targeted laser beam; the energy absorbed by the layers is then converted into an electrical current.

A standout result is that, as the number of active units is increased, the system can charge faster rather than slower - the opposite of what you would expect from ordinary batteries. The researchers link this to the components operating collectively, with energy taken in in parallel.

Electric vehicles with this battery could charge faster than petrol cars refuel

The team believes that, in time, the same principle could enable technologies that charge electric vehicles faster than a petrol car can be refuelled, and that top up smartphones almost instantly. Even so, commercial use remains a distant prospect. At present, the prototype has an extremely small capacity and can hold its charge for only a few nanoseconds. In addition, the quantum states required for it to work are highly sensitive to the surrounding environment and are easily disrupted under real-world conditions.

For now, the researchers’ key focus is to scale the system up and extend how long it can store energy, bringing the technology closer to practical applications.