Scientists describe most accurate quantum thermometers

Spanish scientists have worked out how to make a thermometer as accurate as possible using quantum mechanics. An accurate thermometer can be used for medical and physics research, among other things.

The research, published in the authoritative physics journal Physical Review Letters, was conducted by scientists from a university in Barcelona. They describe a quantum system that can measure minute fluctuations in temperature. According to calculations, a quantum thermometer of an individual atom is most accurate at the highest possible heat capacity. The energy levels and number of quantum states of the most accurate quantum thermometer could also be calculated.

It also appears that the degree of accuracy of the quantum thermometer is inversely proportional to the temperature range in which it can operate. This means that the more accurate a thermometer is, the smaller the temperature interval in which the device operates. Therefore, the researchers recommend using a thermometer with a lower accuracy to determine the temperature range first and then using a more accurate model.

Quantum thermometers can be improved by the calculations of the Spanish scientists. Accurate thermometers can be used in various research fields. For example, quantum thermometers are already being used to measure the temperature in cells, but temperature developments in nano-devices can also be measured, for example.