Once a science-fiction staple in Star Trek, physical teleportation might soon be possible. A new study by University of Jena researchers has successfully teleported the properties of solid particles in what is hopefully the first step toward discovering a similar procedure for teleporting the solid particles themselves.

"Many of the ideas from Star Trek that back then appeared to be revolutionary have become reality," said Alexander Szameit, who headed the research. "Doors that open automatically, video telephony or flip phones - all things we have first seen on the starship USS Enterprise."

Teleportation is no different, although it is possible to a different degree than in Star Trek. Physical objects have never been teleported, but quantum teleportation has been known for years, which is the teleportation of data in the form of electrons and light particles.

"Elementary particles such as electrons and light particles exist per se in a spatially delocalized state," Szameit said, meaning it is possible for them to be in different places at the same time. "Within such a system spread across multiple locations, it is possible to transmit information from one location to another without any loss of time."

Now, for the first time ever, Szameit and his team have demonstrated that the concept of teleportation exists outside of the quantum realm and in our classical world. Contrary to quantum information, where particle properties are inferred, classical information relates to physical properties that are directly measured in our universe.

In order to achieve teleportation in our reality, the team used a special form of laser beams. "As can be done with the physical states of elementary particles, the properties of light beams can also be entangled," said Marco Ornigotti, a member of the research team. "You link the information you would like to transmit to a particular property of the light."

In their study, the team encoded information into a specific polarization direction of the laser light and subsequently transmitted it to the shape of the laser beam through a form of teleportation, resulting in instant transmission. However, there are downsides to this novel procedure.

"With this form of teleportation, we can, however, not bridge any given distance," Szameit explained. "On the contrary, classic teleportation only works locally."

Despite this drawback, the procedure still allows for the instantaneous transmission of information without any loss of time, possessing plenty of potential for use in telecommunications technology.

The findings were published online in the Jan. 11 issue of Laser & Photonics Reviews.