Researchers have created the world's first miniature, proof-of-concept quantum battery. If the technology can be replicated, it could transform the field of energy storage forever and open up new possibilities for lightweight, remote electrification, experts say. The research team outlined their design for the quantum battery in a study published March 13 in the journal Light: Science & Applications . They say it can be used for long-term battery storage, as well as high-density battery applications such as heavy electric vehicles. In a standard lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery, ions move between the cathode and the anode through an electrolyte. But inside a quantum battery, energy is stored as electromagnetic excitation among coherent molecules — molecules that share non-random internal states such as their vibrational energy or electron states. This allows them to maintain a fixed relationship with one another. Quantum batteries rely on the weird laws of quantum mechanics .…