One of the most serious challenges faced by the internet is hackers but scientists have introduced a device that releases a single precisely shaped photon of light that can pave the way for the quantum internet that will reduce the vulnerability of the internet to hackers. Quantum computers are overwhelmingly powerful and impenetrable and a future network of quantum computers can solve the problems that are beyond the capabilities of current machines.
What is a Quantum Computer?
In the development of the quantum computer, information is encoded on a single photon of light that can be produced on demand. This information is provided by Prof. Andrea Fiore of Eindhoven University of Technology and her colleagues who have developed the nanoscale device that can sculpt the shape of individual photons. The nanoscale device is important to produce the photon when necessary. The shape of the photon depends upon how smooth the energy it contains is released since most of the energy will be released at the start of the process with the remaining energy trailing towards the end. The emission takes place in just one billionth of a second but it gives a photon its lopsided shape.
Importance of a Quantum Network
The importance of quantum networks cannot be overestimated particularly for governments so that communication between computers can be impenetrable to hackers. If it is found out that someone has read data during transmission, it is automatically changed so that hacking can be easily detected. Quantum computers are theoretically possible but none have been successfully built. When nanostructures re integrated into devices and chips, it will pave the way for the efficient exchange of photons between quantum chips which will be used in the future quantum network.
In order to make the most of quantum computers, it is important to have a quantum internet. However, the possibility of the quantum network is not going to happen next week because the UK government still has to fund the development of this technology with £120 million. Once this radical technology becomes successful, it will make certain computation like forecasting the weather a lot easier to perform. It will also help pharmaceutical companies in their development of new drugs since the interrogations of large databases will be speeded up.
