Researchers at TU Wien in Vienna have discovered that quantum interactions between particles can be used to create time crystals with their own internal rhythm, challenging previous findings about these strange structures.
The discovery, published in a study in Physical Review Letters, demonstrates that quantum correlations can help create rhythmic stability, despite previously being thought to destroy it. The implication of this could reshape scientists’ understanding of the properties and formation of time crystals.
Rhythm Without a Source
Rhythmic patterns are common in nature, from the orbit of planets to the vibrations of atoms. Patterns such as these are typically driven by external forces, such as gravity or energy. While most natural rhythms in nature depend on external forces, a time crystal produces a repeating pattern internally without the assistance of external influence.
Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek first introduced the idea of time crystals in 2012, suggesting that these structures must be highly isolated to avoid quantum fluctuations. The new results from TU Wien, however, demonstrate that quantum correlations can actually support the formation of time crystals.
“We found that it’s precisely the quantum correlations between particles, previously believed to destabilize time crystals, that can instead give rise to them,” said lead researcher Felix Russo, a doctoral student in TU Wien’s Institute of Theoretical Physics.
Order Within Chaos
The formation of a time crystal is similar to the formation of ice. When water freezes, its atoms shift from a random arrangement to a repeating pattern, forming the ice. In time crystals, this transition occurs in time rather than in physical space, creating a pattern that repeats at regular intervals.
Quantum fluctuations have long been associated with the disruption of order. In this experiment, however, the researchers observed that these fluctuations can actually stabilize a repeating temporal pattern, therefore transforming what would be chaos into a consistent rhythm.
“The complex interactions between particles induce collective behavior that cannot be explained at the level of individual particles,” Russo said. “It’s a bit like how smoke from an extinguished candle can form a series of perfectly spaced smoke rings — the pattern emerges from the collective motion, not from any single molecule.”
The Beating Lattice
The team developed a model using a two-dimensional lattice of particles, each held in place by intersecting laser beams. The particles in the lattice then interacted and exchanged energy, resulting in spontaneous oscillations —a kind of beating pattern.
This creates a self-sustaining temporal pattern that repeats without end, breaking the symmetry of time. Time crystals’ unique ability to remain in a stable state while changing rhythmically challenges conventional ideas from thermodynamics.
The Future of Quantum Matter
The research team from TU Wien illustrates that time crystals are much more than a theoretical concept. Learning more about how their formation and behavior could help scientists develop new quantum materials, improve quantum computing, and open the door to new technologies.
“Studying how order emerges from quantum chaos helps us probe the limits of what’s possible in many-body systems,” explained Professor Thomas Pohl from TU Wien. “It could guide the development of new quantum technologies that operate with minimal energy input.”
The findings of this study demonstrate that order can actually emerge from chaos in the unpredictable realm of quantum physics. This opens the door for new ways to study how particles interact as a group. The results also suggest that perfect order is not always required; in some cases, a degree of disorder and particle connections can actually help stabilize quantum systems.
Austin Burgess is a writer and researcher with a background in sales, marketing, and data analytics. He holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, along with a certification in Data Analytics. His work combines analytical training with a focus on emerging science, aerospace, and astronomical research.