The internet of tomorrow relies on 'quantum weirdness' to stay secure
In short: Our current digital world is built on quantum physics, but we are only scratching the surface. Scientists are now working to harness exotic effects like entanglement and teleportation to create a new type of network that could be as disruptive as the first smartphone.
While our modern smartphones and computers already rely on quantum concepts, the next generation of connectivity will move beyond these basics. A true 'quantum internet' would consist of quantum computers connected via dedicated quantum channels. This shift promises more than just speed; it aims to enable highly secure communications, quantum currencies, synchronized atomic clocks, and cloud-based quantum computing.
One of the primary hurdles for this transition is signal degradation over long distances. Just as today’s internet uses repeaters to boost signals along optical fibers, a scalable quantum network requires 'quantum repeaters.' In 2015, Koji Azuma and his team at NTT Basic Research Laboratories published a conceptual solution for an all-optical quantum repeater in collaboration with the University of Toronto. This is considered a critical building block for making these networks viable.
The United States government has already begun formalizing this transition through 'America’s Blueprint for the Quantum Internet,' announced by the Department of Energy (DOE) on July 23, 2020. The blueprint identifies four priority research areas: foundational building blocks, device integration, technologies for switching and routing entanglement, and error correction. To test these theories in real-world conditions, a 52-mile testbed was launched in February by the Chicago Quantum Exchange to connect several universities.
Beyond data transfer, this infrastructure could support 'quantum sensor networks.' These sensors have the potential to revolutionize science by improving our understanding of dark matter, increasing the resolution of extra-solar planet observations, and providing better predictions for volcanic eruptions.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The Quantum Internet of the Future
- Also: Quantum leaps promise to reshape the internet
- Also: The Quantum Internet of the Future is Here
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