Scientific American recently reported on a team of Dutch scientists (Copenhagen University) who teleported quantum information over a distance of half a meter (1.6 feet). While this remarkable achievement isn’t quite the teleporter we’ve seen on Star Trek; it is a major breakthrough in quantum teleportation. This isn’t the first time scientist teleported information, but it is the first time the quantum state of atoms (cesium) was teleported (or, in this case copied) to a second cloud of cesium atoms. As Scientific American reports: "The laser became entangled with the collective spin of the cloud, meaning that the quantum state of the laser and gas shared the same amplitude but had opposite phases (what?)." In other words, the laser (in this case two) were able to copy the quantum state of the original cloud of cesium atoms (or collective spin) and send THAT information to a second similar cloud of atoms. So, this isn’t exactly transporting the physical atoms, but it there isn’t really a difference between an atom in one location and a different atom, located elsewhere, if their quantum states are identical. So think of it as a copy machine.
Again, this isn’t going to allow us to "beam you up" anytime soon, but it does take us closer to the holy grail of computing: quantum computers. Quantum computing is quite different from the conventional form of processing, which every computer on earth uses today. For example, conventional computers process binary information, or a bunch of on/off states or 0’s and 1’s. Quantum components operate within the spooky realm quantum states, which allow for every possible state to exist simultaneously (huh?). Yeah, we’re talking about processing infinitely larger data sets with unimaginable speed. Processing information with quantum states further complicates the entire computing infrastructure because the information also need to be transmitted from one location to another. For example, digital computers send information, along tiny copper wires, from one component to another; however transmitting quantum information (at least with today’s technology) requires lasers, and lasers require optical components like fiber optics.
Interestingly, a team of from engineers at UCSB and Intel recently announced a major breakthrough in optical computing. The team announced (sept 18th, 2006, which happens to be my birthday) the development of a new silicon chip that can produce light (in the infra-red range). Why is this important? Well, today’s computer [speeds] are limited to the physical limitations of the metals they use to transmit and process the information from one component to another. Copper, for example, resists the transmission of electrons. This resistance not only limits the speed at which electrons flow through the material but it also creates and incredible amount of heat as speeds, well…speed up. The transmission of light eliminates the speed and thermal bottlenecks. It’s a great time to be a geek.
Interesting Links: Scientific American qubit.org sfgate
