'Defying logic': This quantum battery actually charges faster the bigger it gets

Date:
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 22:15:00 +0000

Description:
This quantum device absorbs energy efficiently, accelerates charging with scale, and stores power temporarily, though it's still limited in practical output.

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now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter Scaling up the quantum battery reduces charging time while increasing stored energy Collective molecular
interactions accelerate energy transfer beyond classical limits of conventional batteries Energy density rises as the number of participating molecules grows Conventional battery design follows a predictable rule where increasing size leads to longer charging times and proportional gains in capacity.

This emerging quantum battery breaks that assumption not by a small margin, but in a way that appears fundamentally inconsistent with classical thermodynamics. In a study published in Light: Science & Applications , CSIRO and RMIT University researchers describe this behavior as superextensive, where performance improves faster than the system grows. Article continues below You may like This solid-state electric motorcycle battery just edged closer to reality Silicon-carbon is just the start: these battery
technologies could make your phone last even longer Chinese researchers just passed a massive semi-solid-state EV battery milestone When bigger means faster, not slower Thats why your mobile phone takes about 30 minutes to charge and your electric car takes overnight to charge, said lead researcher Dr James Quach of CSIRO, Australias national science agency.

Quantum batteries have this really peculiar property where the larger they are, the less time they take to charge.

This outcome stems from collective quantum interactions, where individual components no longer behave independently but act in a coordinated way that amplifies energy transfer efficiency.

The device relies on a microcavity structure that confines light and couples it strongly with organic molecules such as copper phthalocyanine. When light enters this confined environment, it forms hybrid states known as polaritons. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

This interaction is not simply additive. As more molecules are introduced, coupling strength increases collectively rather than linearly.

The result is more efficient energy absorption as the number of participating molecules grows. Scaling up the battery does not slow it down it accelerates charging instead.

Unlike earlier prototypes, this design integrates layers that allow energy to be extracted as electrical output, enabling a full charge and discharge
cycle. What to read next BYD says its Blade Battery 2.0 can deliver over 600 miles on a single charge Megawatt charging is go BYD's new 1,500kW EV
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Experimental measurements show charging occurs on femtosecond timescales quadrillionths of a second.

More importantly, charging time decreases as molecule count increases, while stored energy and peak power rise, which challenges classical expectations, where energy density typically remains constant regardless of system size.

Instead, energy density increases alongside faster charging, reinforcing the role of collective quantum effects.

After charging, energy transitions into a metastable state rather than dissipating immediately.

Excited singlet states convert into triplet states through intersystem crossing, extending the lifetime of stored energy.

These states persist for nanoseconds brief, but significantly longer than
the initial excitation phase.

The system also enables energy extraction through integrated charge transport layers, converting stored energy into electrical current.

Output power increases more than proportionally with system size, reflecting the same superextensive scaling.

While efficiency gains remain limited, improved photon-to-charge conversion suggests the microcavity design enhances performance.

This prototype demonstrates a complete operational cycle within a single quantum device.

However, the stored energy remains extremely small only a few billion electron volts which is insufficient for practical applications. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

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