[News] Quantum Internet Edges Closer As Researchers Teleport Photons Six Kilometers
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/qua...ion,32735.html
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Researchers from the University of Calgary, Canada, teleported a photon (particle of light) over a six kilometer distance through a ?dark fiber? cable. The accomplishment set a new record in quantum teleportation, getting us a little closer to having quantum networks, and ultimately a quantum internet.
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Over the past few years, research into quantum computers and quantum networks has increased as more academics and technology companies began to believe that we may be close to figuring out just how to make these systems work, and then use them outside of the lab.
We?ve had D-Wave announce a more specialized type of quantum computer, and upgrading it every few years. More recently, we?ve had IBM and Google announce their working universal quantum computers. We?ve also had research that showed quantum computers could be built on silicon (as opposed to more expensive materials). Even the NSA has begun warning that the day when quantum computers will break existing forms of encryption is sooner than we think.
Quantum networks are a somewhat different area of research, but still relevant to the quantum field as a whole. If we can teleport information, we may be able to drastically increase the amount of information we can send through networks, and the speed at which we send it, too.
A quantum internet would be beneficial to quantum computers in the same way our regular internet is beneficial to traditional computers. Quantum networks could also aid in protecting communications against eavesdropping, although the jury is still out on how effective that would actually be.
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?Being entangled means that the two photons that form an entangled pair have properties that are linked regardless of how far the two are separated,? explained Wolfgang Tittel, professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Calgary and leader of the project.
?When one of the photons was sent over to City Hall, it remained entangled with the photon that stayed at the University of Calgary.?
The photon whose state was teleported to the university was then generated in a third location in Calgary, and then it also traveled to the City Hall, where it met the photon that was part of the entanglement pair.
?What happened is the instantaneous and disembodied transfer of the photon?s quantum state onto the remaining photon of the entangled pair, which is the one that remained six kilometres away at the university,? said Tittel.
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"By opening The City?s dark fiber infrastructure to the private and public sector, non-profit companies, and academia, we help enable the development of projects like quantum encryption and create opportunities for further research, innovation and economic growth in Calgary,? said Tyler Andruschak, project manager with Innovation and Collaboration at The City of Calgary.
?The university receives secure access to a small portion of our fibre optic infrastructure and The City may benefit in the future by leveraging the secure encryption keys generated out of the lab?s research to protect our critical infrastructure. In order to deliver next-generation services to Calgarians, The City has been increasing its fibre optic footprint, connecting all City buildings, facilities and assets,? added Andruschak.
