This is a neat
primer on particle entanglement, photon entanglement and effective parallel
processing ability in a quantum computer.
This technology is advancing wonderfully.
To understand
what is happening here a particle or a photon is a natural resonance
system. In combination it is possible
for the resonance to synchronize to form what is essentially a single
entity. On separation that
synchronization does not end and they do not have to exchange information in
the form of photons. Thus we achieve
simultaneous information transfer across potentially the universe without
having to deal directly with the speed of light whatsoever except to send the
receiver there. We certainly will not be
going even to Mars without this powering our communication.
As is becoming
blindingly clear, faster that light communication is already a workable reality
and will soon be coming to your cell phone to speed data transfer.
Entering
the 103rd dimension: Scientists reveal major quantum breakthrough that could
lead to ultrafast computers and unbreakable encryption
·
Could lead to unbreakable encryption and
superfast computers
·
Researchers created entanglement of 103
dimensions with only two photons - smashing the previous record of 11
·
NSA also working on quantum computer that could
break encryption systems
·
Researchers joke their discovery means
Schrödinger's famous cat could actually be alive, dead or in 101 other states
PUBLISHED: 21:30 GMT, 28
March 2014 | UPDATED: 11:44 GMT, 29 March 201
Researchers have made a major step forward in
the development of quantum computers that can run at speeds far faster than
current systems.
A Spanish team claims to have created a pair of
particles with 103 dimensions.
The experiment smashes the previous record of 11
dimensions, and mean quantum computers are one step closer to becoming
commonplace.
+2
A current quantum computer chip: Unlike 'bits'
found in normal computers that can only be on or off at any one time, qubits
can also be in a 'mixed state' between these points. This means quantum
computers such as the D-Wave range can peform single tasks much faster than
normal computers, and perform multiple tasks at once, much more efficiently.
The latest breakthrough could make them even more powerful.
WHAT
IS QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT
Quantum entanglement is
a physical phenomenon that occurs when pairs or groups of particles are
generated or interact in ways such that the quantum state of each particle
cannot be described independently – instead, a quantum state may be given for
the system as a whole.
Superpositions are
produced, such as the possibility of being in two places at once, which defies
intuition.
In addition, when two particles are entangled a
connection is generated: measuring the state of one (whether they are in one
place or another, or spinning one way or another, for example) affects the
state of the other particle instantly, no matter how far away from each other
they are.
The discovery could represent a great advance
toward the construction of quantum computers with much higher processing speeds
than current ones, and toward a better encryption of information, the
researchers say.
The states in which elementary particles, such
as photons, can be found have properties which are beyond common sense.
The phenomenon means that superpositions are
produced, such as the possibility of being in two places at once, which defies
intuition.
This allows quantum computers, for instance, to
process more than one thing at a time more effectively - and makes them much
quicker when processing several tasks at the same time.
In addition, when two particles are entangled a
connection is generated: measuring the state of one (whether they are in one
place or another, or spinning one way or another, for example) affects the
state of the other particle instantly, no matter how far away from each other
they are.
Scientists have spent years combining both
properties to construct networks of entangled particles in a state of
superposition.
This in turn allows constructing quantum
computers capable of operating at unimaginable speeds, encrypting information
with total security and conducting experiments in quantum mechanics which would
be impossible to carry out otherwise.
###
+2######
An
example of a two-dimensional subspace is shown. The intensities and phases for
two different modes in the z basis are demonstrated, and their superposition
leads to a mode in the x basis. The y basis can be constructed similarly.
Until
now, in order to increase the 'computing' capacity of these particle systems,
scientists have mainly turned to increasing the number of entangled particles,
each of them in a two-dimensional state of superposition: a qubit (the quantum
equivalent to an information bit, but with values which can be 1, 0 or an
overlap of both values).
Using
this method, scientists managed to entangle up to 14 particles, an authentic
multitude given its experimental difficulty.
The research team was directed by Anton Zeilinger and Mario Krenn from the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.
It included the participation of Marcus Huber,
researcher from the Group of Quantum Information and Quantum Phenomena from the
UAB Department of Physics, as well as visiting researcher at the Institute of
Photonic Sciences (ICFO).
The team has advanced one more step towards
improving entangled quantum systems.
In an article published this week in the journal
PNAS, scientists described how they managed to achieve a quantum entanglement
with a minimum of 103 dimensions with only two particles.
###
WHAT
IS QUANTUM COMPUTING?
Modern day computers run
on a model designed by Alan Turing in the 1930s.
They are digital
and use bits to transfer information and perform tasks.
They use binary code and
can only ever been in an active, or an inactive state - running at one or
zero.
This means that a single
bit is either on or off at any one time.
The D-Wave quantum
computer
Qubits work differently
and can be on, off, or in a mixed state in between.
As a result, qubits are
able to be in multiple places at the same time.
Whereas the original
Turing computer can only make one calculation at a time, quantum computers are
capable of performing single tasks faster, and performing multiple tasks more
effectively.
Tasks that would take
normal computers years to complete can be processed in seconds using quantum
computers like the D-Wave.
'We have two Schrödinger cats which could be
alive, dead, or in 101 other states simultaneously', Huber jokes, 'plus, they
are entangled in such a way that what happens to one immediately affects the
other'.
The results implies a record in quantum
entanglements of multiple dimensions with two particles, established until now
at 11 dimensions.
Instead of entangling many particles with a
qubit of information each, scientists generated one single pair of entangled
photons in which each could be in more than one hundred states, or in any of
the superpositions of theses states; something much easier than entangling many
particles.
These highly complex states correspond to
different modes in which photons may find themselves in, with a distribution of
their characteristic phase, angular momentum and intensity for each mode.
'This high dimension quantum entanglement offers
great potential for quantum information applications.
'In cryptography, for example, our method would
allow us to maintain the security of the information in realistic situations,
with noise and interference.
'In addition, the discovery could facilitate the
experimental development of quantum computers, since this would be an easier
way of obtaining high dimensions of entanglement with few particles', explained
researcher Marcus Huber.
Now that the results demonstrate that obtaining
high dimension entanglements is accessible, scientists conclude in the paper
that the next step will be to search how they can experimentally control these
hundreds of spatial modes of the photons in order to conduct quantum computer
operations.
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