This new “phonon laser” could measure gravity more precisely than ever before
A new “sound laser” could measure gravity with stunning precision—and help replace GPS altogether.
- Date:
- March 31, 2026
- Source:
- University of Rochester
- Summary:
- Scientists have taken lasers beyond light and into the realm of sound, creating a breakthrough “phonon laser” that manipulates tiny vibrations at the quantum level. By dramatically reducing noise in these systems, researchers can now measure motion and forces with unprecedented precision. This advance could unlock new ways to study gravity, probe quantum physics, and even revolutionize navigation with ultra-accurate, satellite-free systems.
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Since their invention in the 1960s, lasers have transformed both science and daily life, powering everything from grocery store scanners to vision-correcting surgery. Traditional lasers work by controlling photons, which are individual particles of light. In recent decades, however, researchers have expanded this idea to other types of particles, including phonons, which are tiny units of vibration or sound. Mastering phonons could unlock entirely new capabilities, including access to unusual quantum effects such as entanglement.
Scientists at the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology have now developed a new type of squeezed phonon laser that can precisely control these vibrations at the nanoscale. This level of control could help researchers explore fundamental questions about gravity, particle motion, and quantum behavior. Their findings, published in Nature Communications, describe how they guided these minute vibrations to act in a coordinated, laser-like way.
Overcoming Noise in Phonon Lasers
Nick Vamivakas, the Marie C. Wilson and Joseph C. Wilson Professor of Optical Physics with the URochester Institute of Optics, previously demonstrated a phonon laser in 2019 by trapping and levitating vibrations using an optical tweezer in a vacuum. While this was a major step forward, making the system useful for precise measurements required solving a major challenge shared by all lasers: noise. These unwanted fluctuations interfere with signals and limit accuracy.
"While a laser looks to the naked eye like a steady beam, there's actually a lot of fluctuation, which causes noise when you're using lasers for measurement," says Vamivakas. "By pushing and pulling on a phonon laser with light in the right way, we can reduce that phonon laser fluctuation significantly."
Reducing Noise for Greater Precision
To address this issue, the team used a technique known as squeezing to reduce the natural thermal noise present in the phonon laser. Lowering this noise allows for far more precise measurements. According to Vamivakas, this approach can measure acceleration more accurately than methods based on traditional light lasers or radio frequency technologies.
Future Applications in Navigation and Physics
With improved precision, phonon lasers could become powerful tools for measuring gravity and other forces with exceptional accuracy. This capability may play an important role in future navigation systems. Researchers have proposed quantum compasses as highly accurate, "unjammable" alternatives to GPS that do not rely on satellites, and phonon lasers could help bring such concepts closer to reality.
The research was supported by the National Science Foundation.
Story Source:
Materials provided by University of Rochester. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- K. Zhang, K. Xiao, M. Bhattacharya, A. N. Vamivakas. A two-mode thermomechanically squeezed phonon laser. Nature Communications, 2026; 17 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-70564-3
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