Experimental Realization of a Nonreciprocal Quantum Battery
Abstract
Quantum batteries promise faster and more efficient energy storage and extraction by harnessing quantum mechanics, serving as essential building blocks for future quantum devices. A key practical requirement-unidirectional energy flow during charging-is straightforward in classical batteries via potential difference, yet remains a major challenge in the quantum regime due to the inherent reciprocity of coherent coupling. Here, we realize the first backflow-free, nonreciprocal quantum battery in the few-quantum regime, implemented in a highly controlled trapped-ion system via a qubit-reservoir engineering technique. By subtly tailoring quantum interference between coherent and dissipative couplings of two laser-cooled motional modes, we achieve strictly unidirectional energy flow from the charger to the battery. We observe maximum charging power at an exceptional point and demonstrate a complete charge-discharge cycle with unitary work extraction. This work establishes the foundation for directional energy transfer and storage in micro- and nanoscale quantum devices, with broad implications for nonreciprocal energy harvesting, precision metrology, information processing, and quantum thermodynamics.
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BibTeX
@misc{zhang2026experimental,
title = {{Experimental Realization of a Nonreciprocal Quantum Battery}},
author = {Jie Zhang and Xin-Sheng Chen and Ruo Kun Cai and Gang Xia and Jia-Yang Song and Fu-Wen Zhao and Ting Chen and Wei Wu and Yi Xie and Zhi Jiao Deng and Chun-Wang Wu and Ping-Xing Chen},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2611.00878},
eprint = {2611.00878},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2611.00878},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Experimental Realization of a Nonreciprocal Quantum Battery
AU - Jie Zhang
AU - Xin-Sheng Chen
AU - Ruo Kun Cai
AU - Gang Xia
AU - Jia-Yang Song
AU - Fu-Wen Zhao
AU - Ting Chen
AU - Wei Wu
AU - Yi Xie
AU - Zhi Jiao Deng
AU - Chun-Wang Wu
AU - Ping-Xing Chen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/01
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2611.00878
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2611.00878
AB - Quantum batteries promise faster and more efficient energy storage and extraction by harnessing quantum mechanics, serving as essential building blocks for future quantum devices. A key practical requirement-unidirectional energy flow during charging-is straightforward in classical batteries via potential difference, yet remains a major challenge in the quantum regime due to the inherent reciprocity of coherent coupling. Here, we realize the first backflow-free, nonreciprocal quantum battery in the few-quantum regime, implemented in a highly controlled trapped-ion system via a qubit-reservoir engineering technique. By subtly tailoring quantum interference between coherent and dissipative couplings of two laser-cooled motional modes, we achieve strictly unidirectional energy flow from the charger to the battery. We observe maximum charging power at an exceptional point and demonstrate a complete charge-discharge cycle with unitary work extraction. This work establishes the foundation for directional energy transfer and storage in micro- and nanoscale quantum devices, with broad implications for nonreciprocal energy harvesting, precision metrology, information processing, and quantum thermodynamics.
ER -