Sound impelled an electron in an energy well to a second energy well and back. It's a step toward controlled single-electron transfer for use in quantum computer electronic circuits. Sophie Bushwick reports

声波能将处于一个势阱中的电子转移到另一个势阱。这项控制单电子的进步能应用到量子计算电子电路上。Sophie Bushwic报道。

The shortest distance between two points may be a straight line, but try telling that to electrons: when current flows down a wire, these particles zig and zag, moving indirectly from one end to the other. But now researchers have sped single electrons straight to their destinations using sound. The work is in the journal Nature. [Rob McNeil et al., "On-demand single-electron transfer between distant quantum dots"]

两点间最短的距离可能是一条只想，不过这可不适用于电子：当电流在电线上流动时，电子会走一条多个Z型组成的路线，而不是从一点直接到达另一点。不过现在研究者使用声波加速单个电子使之直接到达重点。这项研究发表在《自然》期刊上。【Rob McNeil et al.,“受控单电子在量子点间的移动”】

An electron's quantum state carries information, making it important for a viable quantum computer. As the particle staggers down a wire, however, its state loses coherence—the electron “forgets” the information it carried.

一个电子的量子态携带着信息，这对制造量子计算机十分重要。当电子在电线上移动时，会失去其连贯性——也就是，遗失了所携带的信息。

To make it travel more efficiently, researchers blasted a short burst of sound at an electron trapped in an energy well. The sound wave “lifted” the electron, speeding it directly towards an empty well. Once it reached its destination, a sound burst from the opposite direction sent the electron back to its original location.

为了使之移动得更有效率，研究者对困在势阱中的电子加了一个短促的冲击声波。这个声波推动着电子，使它沿着空势阱直线加速。一旦到达重点，反方向的冲击声波优惠把电子送回出发点。

This discovery is a stop toward quantum computing, which requires the controlled transfer of single electrons. But it could also have another application: electron ping-pong. Researchers have bounced an electron back and forth up to 60 times. Nice nano-rally.

这项发现是量子计算旅程的驿站，需要控制单电子的移动。不过它也有另一项用途：电子乒乓球。研究者能使一个电子进行60次上下弹跳。
—Sophie Bushwick