Stevens Researchers Take Step Toward More Precise, Practical Quantum Technologies

Insider Brief

• Stevens researchers and collaborators have proposed a laser-pulse technique designed to control quantum systems while reducing unwanted multiphoton processes caused by intense laser fields.
• The theoretical method uses a sequence of 12 short, low-intensity laser pulses, with their timing, intensity, frequency and phase calculated to reproduce the effect of a longer, stronger pulse.
• Published in the Journal of the Optical Society of America B on September 10, 2026, the study could have applications in quantum computing, quantum sensing, spectroscopy, molecular physics, biology and medicine.

PRESS RELEASE — Quantum technologies are poised to transform fields ranging from medicine and sensing to computing and communications by manipulating the energy states of atoms and molecules. These manipulations are achieved by controlling quantum states with laser pulses. However, the intense laser fields often required for this control can cause unwanted effects disrupting the very system they aim to manipulate. Now, Stevens researchers and their collaborators have developed a novel method that enables precise control of quantum systems without these undesirable effects. 

“A laser is a device that creates a very narrow, highly directional beam of light,” explains Svetlana Malinovskaya, professor at Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering and Science, whose research focuses on quantum science and controlling quantum systems.  “Unlike sunlight or light from regular bulbs or flashlights that scatters in all directions, a laser produces light in which all waves move together in a highly synchronized way allowing the light to be very focused and controlled with remarkable precision.”