Cracking the quantum safe
October 15, 2012
This is an artist’s impression of a phosphorus atom (red sphere surrounded by electron cloud, with arrow showing the spin direction) coupled to a silicon single-electron transistor. A burst of microwaves (blue) is used to ‘write’ information on the electron spin. (Credit: Tony Melov)
The Nobel Prize in Physics went to achievements in quantum information, Adam Frank, a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Rochester, writes in The New York Times.
It may not catch as many headlines as the hunt for elusive particles, but the field of quantum information may soon answer questions even more fundamental — and upsetting — than the ones that drove the search for the Higgs. It could well usher in a radical new era of technology, one that makes today’s fastest computers look like hand-cranked adding machines.
Increasingly clever experiments are exploiting advances in cheap, high-precision lasers and atomic-scale transistors. Quantum information studies often require nothing more than some equipment on a table and a few graduate students. In this way, quantum information’s progress has come not by bludgeoning nature into submission but by subtly tricking it to step into the light.
Comments (11)
by Graham Rounce
“may soon answer questions even more fundamental — and upsetting” – What’s this supposed to mean?
by Frank
It’s all good… In a holographic universe!
http://rense.com/general69/holoff.htm
by David Thornton
Unfortunately, one cannot use entanglement to transmit information without sending supplementary information at or below the speed of light…….
by Gerry
Don’t forget that entanglement cannot be used for the instantaneous transfer of information, since the process requires a conventional signal be exchanged between the two observers.
The usefulness of entanglement in communications comes from the prospect of extremely powerful encryption.
by David
Can “spooky action” occur faster than the seed of light?
by Gorden Russell
This research will lead to the quantum entanglement communicator that will be used in the future of space exploration. Remember that when you change the spin of one of a pair of entangled particles, the other particle of that pair changes its spin too, at the same time, even though it may be as far away as the moons of Jupiter or Saturn. This is the spooky action at a distance that Einstein wrote about.
by Xuuths
You forgot to include the very important words “in theory.” There have been no actual experiments “as far away as the moons of Jupiter or Saturn” and so we cannot be sure they will have the same results. I have a healthy skepticism about the distance entangled particles will exhibit this behavior, and welcome additional experiments. (It would be great for it to be upheld at such distances!)
by JFH
I believe they are already gearing up to test quantum communication using satellite to earth (and vice versa) transmissions. If that is successful that would be a a monumental first step although I share the skepticism of spooky action at interplanetary, and interstellar distances. If it holds up, that would have mind-blowing implications.
by Eric
Actually, Quantum communication is theoretically NOT possible. Even though you can change the spin of a particle(by measuring it, and causing the twin to also assume a specific state) there is no means of communicating what exactly it is your doing to the distant location.
So, in other words, a bunch of particles will take on random spins which correlate to spins of their distant partner, but there will be no discernable information transfer.
Look into it.
by JFH
I took another look and it appears you are correct. Spooky action (aka quantum teleportation) is not being used to transfer data but to ENCRYPT the data – a quantum key of sorts. This article goes on to say that this technology would be indispensable for creating a quantum computing network.
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/10/quantum-satellite-teleportation/
by Amit
Is correct. Quantum encryption is, as of now, considered useful in next-generation encryption, when the internet would have migrated to a quantum network. Current encryption technology would be obsolete, as it would require no time to crack that encryption with ultra-fast quantum processing.