Communications of the ACM
Quantum Chip Breakthrough to Be Unveiled
Credit: Advantage Austria
University of Bristol researchers say they have developed a quantum chip that will lead to the creation of completely secure mobile phones and super-fast computers that are much more powerful than today's devices. The researchers currently are applying the technology to safe communications for mobile phones and computers. They say their research is an important step toward miniaturizing optical quantum computers. They will describe their work this week at the British Science Festival in Aberdeen.
Although the chip is made from silicon, unlike conventional silicon chips, which work by controlling electrical current, the quantum chips manage photons to perform calculations. Since the technology uses the same silicon manufacturing techniques as conventional chips, it will be easier for manufacturers to mass produce quantum chips. The chips also are compatible with existing optical glass fiber infrastructure used in broadband communications because they operate at the same wavelengths.
"The global communications network, including the Internet, is powered by fiber optics, which use light to move information at high speeds between countries, cities, and buildings," says Bristol's Mark Thompson. "Our devices are directly compatible--in a sense they talk the same language."
From Financial Times
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