[Image: DeviantArt]
Don’t get too excited about the above image nerds, we’re ages away from Stargate. But we are getting closer…
Researchers at the University of Oxford claim to have achieved teleportation by beaming data between quantum computers.
The scientists reported that they successfully teleported logical gates – the basic components of a computer algorithm – between two quantum processors separated by more than two metres. Using particles of light (or photons), they claim to have been able to form a “shared quantum link” between the two separate devices.
Quantum gates allow quantum computers to perform their calculations in parallel, thanks to superposition – the ability for qubits to exist as both a zero or one simultaneously.
The breakthrough may solve the ‘scalability problem’ that has plagued the construction of usable quantum computers. Currently, a single computer capable of processing millions of qubits would need to be gigantic in size – making them impossible for most people to have.
Qubits (or quantum bits) replace the traditional bits of a standard computer. This breakthrough changes all that, allowing scientists to move data between a series of smaller devices – instead of building one enormous machine.
Traditional bits store and convey data in the form of zeros and ones, but qubits use quantum mechanics to exist in both states at once. Quantum devices therefore have the potential to revolutionise the computer industry by drastically increasing processing speed.
Previous international teams have demonstrated how teleportation could transfer data from one location to another without moving qubits. In late 2023, scientists were even able to teleport an image using light – without physically sending the image itself.
Oxford’s Dougal Main said: ‘Previous demonstrations of quantum teleportation have focused on transferring quantum states between physically separated systems.’
Main adds that the breakthrough could lay the foundation for the ‘quantum internet,’ where distant processors form an ultra-secure network for communication and data processing that would be completely safe from hacking.
‘This breakthrough enables us to effectively ‘wire together’ distinct quantum processors into a single, fully-connected quantum computer.’
The results highlight the potential for quantum computing systems to function as a single entity even when their components are physically separated – a requirement for quantum internet.
The word ‘teleportation’ brings to mind sci-fi films and books, but the truth is that we are not even close to teleporting solid objects, so photons will have to do for now.
[Source: Dailymail]
