In a groundbreaking advance that could redefine the boundaries of quantum technology, researchers at Aalto University’s Department of Applied Physics have succeeded in linking a time crystal to an external system for the very first time. This monumental breakthrough offers an unprecedented opportunity to harness the unique properties of time crystals for practical applications. The research, led by Academy Research Fellow Jere Mäkinen, is set to reshape the fields of quantum computing and sensing, suggesting promising futures where memory systems and sensors achieve new levels of precision and stability.
The concept of time crystals, first theorized by Nobel Laureate Frank Wilczek in 2012, has fascinated physicists for over a decade. Unlike conventional crystals, which derive their shimmering patterns from repeating arrangements in space, time crystals exhibit a novel kind of order that persists in time. These exotic phases of matter occupy their lowest energy state yet perpetually cycle through motion without external energy input, defying traditional thermodynamic expectations. Though the existence of time crystals was experimentally demonstrated in 2016, their direct interface with other physical systems remained elusive—until now.
Mäkinen and his team employed radiofrequency pumping to generate magnons, quasiparticles representing collective spin excitations in magnetic systems, into an ultracold superfluid of Helium-3. This superfluid environment, kept near absolute zero, provides an ideal medium for sustaining fragile quantum phenomena. When the radiofrequency pump was discontinued, the magnons self-organized into a coherent time crystal that astonishingly maintained its oscillations for up to 100 million cycles. This longevity extends over several minutes, a significant enhancement compared to the typical coherence times of quantum states, opening new vistas for stable quantum memory.
One of the most remarkable aspects of this research lies in the coupling of the time crystal to a mechanical oscillator situated nearby. As the time crystal gradually faded, it established a dynamic connection with the mechanical oscillator, with characteristics dictated by the oscillator’s own frequency and amplitude. This optomechanical interaction is akin to phenomena exploited in gravitational wave detectors such as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), where mechanical motion is sensitively influenced by light within an optical cavity.
The analogy to cavity optomechanics offers profound implications. Just as optomechanical systems manipulate photons and mechanical vibrations to detect infinitesimal signals, the coupling of time crystals to mechanical modes could enable the encoding and readout of quantum information with exceptional fidelity. By minimizing energy dissipation in the mechanical oscillator and tuning its vibrational frequency, the researchers anticipate achieving operational regimes close to the quantum ground state, where the boundary between classical and quantum worlds blurs.
This innovative approach transforms time crystals from isolated curiosities into functional components in hybrid quantum systems. The ability to externally modulate the properties of a time crystal marks a departure from previous understandings, where perpetual motion in such systems was preserved only under strict isolation. Mäkinen explains that external observations or energy injections typically disrupt the fragile motion of time crystals, making their external control a formidable challenge. This study breaks new ground by demonstrating controlled interaction without destroying the time crystal’s coherence.
The implications for quantum computing are particularly compelling. Time crystals exhibit coherence times orders of magnitude longer than those of conventional quantum bits presently deployed. This longevity could translate into more robust quantum memory elements, capable of holding quantum information without rapid decoherence. Additionally, time crystals may serve as frequency combs—precisely spaced spectral lines crucial for high-accuracy frequency references in sensors and metrological devices. This dual utility could significantly enhance the performance and scalability of quantum technologies.
To achieve these results, the Aalto team utilized state-of-the-art facilities within the Low Temperature Laboratory, which functions as part of OtaNano, Finland’s premier research infrastructure specializing in nano-, micro-, and quantum technologies. Additionally, computational models and simulations were conducted using Aalto Science-IT’s advanced calculational resources, underscoring the interdisciplinary and high-tech nature of this research.
The study, published in Nature Communications on October 16, 2025, represents a milestone for quantum physics and materials science. It showcases how bridging time crystals with mechanical oscillators creates a new platform reminiscent of optomechanical systems but operating under markedly different physical principles. Such platforms hold promise not only for future quantum computers but also for revolutionary sensors that operate with near-perfect precision at the quantum limit.
Furthermore, this research opens up new theoretical inquiries about the fundamental physics of time translation symmetry breaking, the hallmark of time crystals. The experimental observation of coupling and controllability invites fresh exploration of how macroscopic quantum coherence can be maintained, manipulated, and exploited. It also paves the way for integrating time crystalline systems with existing quantum architectures, potentially enabling hybrid devices that leverage the best qualities of diverse quantum phenomena.
Ultimately, the successful demonstration that perpetual quantum motion can influence and be influenced by external mechanical modes is testament to the advancing maturity of quantum engineering. By precisely tuning the interaction between magnons in a superfluid and a macroscopic oscillator, researchers are not only elucidating the physics of exotic states but also innovating pathways toward quantum technologies that once belonged purely to theoretical speculation.
In the coming years, this pioneering work suggests an exciting convergence of condensed matter physics, quantum information science, and optomechanics. Such fusion may yield unprecedented sensors, memory devices, and computational platforms that harness the full weirdness and power of quantum mechanics—crafted upon the fragile yet persistent dance of time crystals.
Subject of Research: Quantum physics, time crystals, optomechanics, superfluid magnons, quantum computing applications.
Article Title: Continuous time crystal coupled to a mechanical mode as a cavity-optomechanics-like platform.
News Publication Date: 16-Oct-2025.
Web References: doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-64673-8
Image Credits: Mikko Raskinen/Aalto University.
Keywords: Time crystal, quantum coherence, optomechanics, magnons, superfluid Helium-3, quantum computing, quantum sensors, frequency combs, ultracold physics, hybrid quantum systems, quantum memory, cavity optomechanics.
