Army-funded research sends entangled qubit states through a communication cable linking one quantum network node to a second node. This research could help lay new groundwork for future quantum communication networks and large scale quantum computers. (Nancy Wong, University of Chicago)
New Army-funded research could help lay the groundwork for future quantum communication networks and large-scale quantum computers.
Researchers sent entangled qubit states through a communication cable linking one quantum network node to a second node.
Scientists at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago, funded and managed by the U.S. Army Combat Capability Development, known as DEVCOM, Army Research Laboratory’s Center for Distributed Quantum Information, also amplified an entangled state via the same cable first by using the cable to entangle two qubits in each of two nodes, then entangling these qubits further with other qubits in the nodes. The peer-reviewed journal Nature published the research in its Feb. 24, 2021, issue.
“The entanglement distribution results the team achieved brought together years of their research related to approaches for transferring quantum states and related to advanced fabrication procedures to realize the experiments,” said Dr. Sara Gamble, program manager at the Army Research Office, an element of the Army’s corporate research laboratory, and co-manager of the CDQI, which funded the work. “This is an exciting achievement and one that paves the way for increasingly complex experiments with additional quantum nodes that we’ll need for the large-scale quantum networks and computers of ultimate interest to the Army.”
Qubits, or quantum bits, are the basic units of quantum information. By exploiting their quantum properties, like superposition, and their ability to be entangled together, scientists and engineers are creating next-generation quantum computers that will be able to solve previously unsolvable problems.
The research team uses superconducting qubits, tiny cryogenic circuits that can be manipulated electrically.
“Developing methods that allow us to transfer entangled states will be essential to scaling quantum computing,” said Prof. Andrew Cleland, the John A. MacLean senior professor of Molecular Engineering Innovation and Enterprise at University of Chicago, who led the research.
Entanglement is a correlation that can be created between quantum entities such as qubits. When two qubits are entangled and a measurement is made on one, it will affect the outcome of a measurement made on the other, even if that second qubit is physically far away.
To send the entangled states through the communication cable—a one-meter-long superconducting cable—the researchers created an experimental set-up with three superconducting qubits in each of two nodes. They connected one qubit in each node to the cable and then sent quantum states, in the form of microwave photons, through the cable with minimal loss of information. The fragile nature of quantum states makes this process quite challenging.
The researchers developed a system in which the whole transfer process—node to cable to node—takes only a few tens of nanoseconds (a nanosecond is one billionth of a second). That allowed them to send entangled quantum states with very little information loss.
The system also allowed them to amplify the entanglement of qubits. The researchers used one qubit in each node and entangled them together by essentially sending a half-photon through the cable. They then extended this entanglement to the other qubits in each node. When they were finished, all six qubits in two nodes were entangled in a single globally entangled state.
“We want to show that superconducting qubits have a viable role going forward,” Cleland said.
A quantum communication network could potentially take advantage of this advance. The group plans to extend its system to three nodes to build three-way entanglement.
“The team was able to identify a primary limiting factor in this current experiment related to loss in some of the components,” said Dr. Fredrik Fatemi, branch chief for quantum sciences, DEVCOM ARL, and co-manager of CDQI. “They have a clear path forward for increasingly complex experiments, which will enable us to explore new regimes in distributed entanglement.”
Original Article: Army-funded research lays groundwork for future quantum networks
More from: United States Army Research Laboratory | University of Chicago
The Latest Updates from Bing News & Google News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Quantum communication network
- Quantum navigation demonstrated in flight
A consortium has demonstrated quantum-based inertial navigation in an aircraft, the first such demonstration to be made public, according to the UK ...
- Arqit warns CISOs why they must act now to secure their data ready for the post-quantum world
Failure to do so could result in a catastrophic breach of data privacy, threatening the secrecy of sensitive and classified information. Further details may be found in the IDC Analysts Brief: ...
- NATO and quantum computing are part of the cybersecurity agenda for IBM Consulting
IBM collaborates with NATO to fortify cybersecurity. Enhancing security visibility management across NATO networks, IBM builds a customized solution.
- Swiss startup unveils post-quantum cryptography library for devs
Swiss startup Terra Quantum has released an open-source repository for quantum-resistant encryption algorithms.
- World’s Purest Silicon Brings Scientists One Step Closer to Scaling Up Quantum Computers
More than 100 years ago, scientists at The University of Manchester changed the world when they discovered the nucleus in atoms, marking the birth of nuclear physics.
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Quantum communication network
[google_news title=”” keyword=”quantum communication network” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Large-scale quantum networks
- Quantum Computers News
Lead-Vacancy Centers in Diamond as Building Blocks for Large-Scale Quantum Networks Apr. 24, 2024 — A lead-vacancy (PbV) center in diamond has been developed as a quantum emitter for large-scale ...
- Lead-vacancy centers in diamond as building blocks for large-scale quantum networks
(Nanowerk News) A lead-vacancy (PbV) center in diamond has been developed as a quantum emitter for large-scale quantum networks by researchers from Tokyo Tech. This innovative color center exhibits a ...
- Lead-vacancy centers in diamond as building blocks for large-scale quantum networks
center in diamond has been developed as a quantum emitter for large-scale quantum networks by researchers. This innovative color center exhibits a sharp zero-phonon-line and emits photons with ...
- Lead-vacancy centers in diamond as building blocks for large-scale quantum networks
These characteristics make the photons dependable carriers of quantum information for large-scale quantum networks. Transform-limited photon emission and high temperature operation make PbV centers ...
- Lead-vacancy centers in diamond as building blocks for large-scale quantum networks
These characteristics make the photons dependable carriers of quantum information for large-scale quantum networks. For stable and coherent quantum states, the emitted photon must be transform-limited ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Large-scale quantum networks
[google_news title=”” keyword=”large-scale quantum networks” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/embed?listType=playlist&list=PL0UjJ07OSXC83oV409r1yRju8-ihA1InJ&layout=gallery[/embedyt]