Chinese Scientists have managed to get two quantum memories stored in atoms, entangled over 50 kilometres which is 31 miles of fibre optic cables. This number is a shocker as it is almost 40 times the previous record. This feat is a step towards developing that long-distance ground-based quantum network. The research has been published in the reputed Science Journal ‘Nature‘.
Crux of the Matter
The New Age Communication Quantum communication relies on quantum entanglement, or what Einstein called ‘spooky action at a distance‘: where two particles become inextricably linked and reliant on each other, even if they’re not in the same place. Quantum memory or qubit is the quantum equivalent of classical computing memory which is the ability to store quantum information and keep it for a later time. Future technologies such as a quantum internet are based on the physics of entanglement.
The Science Behind It Qubit, like Schrodinger’s cat, can be two states (0 and 1) at the same time or somewhere in between. They can be encoded and sent on things like particles of light (photons) and stored on atoms. Sending quantum information over enormous distances via optic fibre networks is extremely challenging. Traditional networks use amplifiers at regular points to boosts the signal, but qubits can’t be copied so particles get scattered and lost. Thus developing an efficient atom-photon entanglement source became suitable for low-loss transmission in fibres.
The Significance of the Paper Jian-Wei Pan, of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), was quoted as saying “The importance of these findings lie in extending the entangling distance in optical fibre between quantum memories to the city scale“. The ability to manipulate the spin, position and momentum of two particles would now make the storage time of memories sufficiently long. Thus quantum repeaters can then distribute memory in a more controlled way and enable synchronised networks for the photon-atom entanglement systems.
Record-breaking #quantummemory brings #quantuminternet one step closer#QuantumComputinghttps://t.co/Qq0uf3A4SP — Rajan Medhekar (@Rajan_Medhekar) February 13, 2020
Curiopedia
Quantum memory in computing is the quantum-mechanical version of ordinary computer memory. Whereas ordinary memory stores information as “1”s and “0”s, quantum memory stores a quantum state for later retrieval. These states hold useful computational information known as qubits. Unlike the classical memory of everyday computers, the states stored in quantum memory can be in a quantum superposition, giving much more practical flexibility in quantum algorithms than classical information storage. It is essential for the development of many devices in quantum information processing, including a synchronization tool that can match the various processes in a quantum computer, a quantum gate that maintains the identity of any state, and a mechanism for converting predetermined photons into on-demand photons. Continuous research and experiments have enabled quantum memory to realize the storage of qubits. More Info
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