Quantum computing

When it came to quantum mechanics, Albert Einstein was an unequivocal unbeliever, stating that “spooky actions” such as entanglement had no place in physics. But physicists recently came one step closer to proving that entanglement, a key component of quantum mechanics, may, in fact, be a repeatable phenomenon. The ability to harness this power could lead to a whole new generation of quantum computing with unprecedented power and speed.

The principle of entanglement basically claims that two particles can instantaneously affect each other, even at a distance. In other words, the properties of one particle (or quantum system) get “tangled” with the other so that what’s reflected in one is simultaneously reflected in the other.

To demonstrate this, the researchers first created qubits – quantum units that are capable of holding multiple values – by trapping electrons in diamonds at extremely low temperatures so that their spin could be observed. With two qubits spaced about three meters apart, they were able to see that the spin of one electron was replicated in the other qubit instantly, and the results were 100 percent reproducible. The next step will be to increase the separation distance to a kilometer or more to better observe the consistency and speed at which the information can travel.