Science & Technology

Quantum teleportation achieved over 44km

By T.K. Randall
January 3, 2021

Image: AI-generated (Midjourney) There is still much we don't understand about the mysterious world of quantum mechanics, yet despite this, scientists are already finding ways to take advantage of this peculiar realm of physics.

One of the most promising examples lies in quantum computing and quantum networking - a very much work-in-progress successor to the technology that is currently used in everything from our desktop PCs to the largest Internet service providers.

The exact mechanics through which it is possible to use quantum physics to process and communicate data over a network are rather complicated, however in the future it is believed that quantum networks (or a quantum Internet) could provide extremely high-speed and ultra-secure communication far in advance of anything available today.Such a future may in fact not be all that far away, as evidenced by a recent experiment at the California Institute of Technology which succeeded in 'teleporting' quantum information a distance of 44km over a network - the furthest that has ever been achieved with a high degree of accuracy.

"We're thrilled by these results," says physicist Panagiotis Spentzouris. "This is a key achievement on the way to building a technology that will redefine how we conduct global communication."

While there is still a long way to go, this successful demonstration that quantum networking is possible even over tens of kilometers is a major step towards a quantum-dominated future.

"With this demonstration we're beginning to lay the foundation for the construction of a Chicago-area metropolitan quantum network," said Spentzouris.

Source: Science Alert

Tags: Quantum