Teleportation achieved over internet cables

Teleportation is finally here! No, do not be under the impression that a human has teleported oneself, or some vehicle has been teleported from one place to another. It is just quantum teleportation that we have achieved, and that’s no less phenomenal! Because quantum teleportation can drastically shift the speeds at which we communicate over the web.

Teleportation of quantum states using the existing infrastructure is a colossal step is achieving augmented encryption, quantum connected extremely high-speed computing networks, and new ways of sensing.

What is more special about the quantum teleportation is that classical networks and quantum networks sharing the same unified fibre optic infrastructure. Achieved by the researchers at the Northwestern University, this technology can simplify the process and infrastructure required for the advanced sensing and quantum computing projects. With the speed of light, quantum teleportation can enable a superfast and secure way to communicate information between users located at a distance. This does not require direct communication, as it harnesses the capabilities of quantum entanglement. Basically, the technique of quantum entanglement is a process where two particles are linked regardless of the distance between them. Instead of sending particles as packets of information from one place to another, we can simply change the state of one particle at one place, and quantum-entangled particle in another place will exhibit the same change. Essentially, the change of state gets communicated without the particles physically travelling anywhere. Doesn’t it speed up communication like speed of light?

While conventional optical fibre communication requires physically sending million of particles of light, quantum information uses a single photon.

In a way, by performing a destructive measurement on two photons, whereby one photon carries quantum state and the other is quantum-entangled with the former photon, the quantum state change of the former is transferred onto the latter instantly even if the two photons are miles away. That’s akin to teleportation of quantum states.

The researchers achieved this quantum teleportation over the regular internet network by placing their photons in the less crowded wavelength of light that helped them to avoid interference or noise from regular internet traffic. This feat opens the doors to advanced applications of quantum computing, ultra-high-speed communication and advanced sensing that will enable humankind to take a quantum leap in the realm of technology.