Quantum science today provides the framework to store and transport information of some advanced communication systems that are under development. In this regard, researchers designing quantum communication systems that depend on light to transmit information are in a fix.
Typically, optical components that store and process quantum information require photons in the visible spectrum of light to operate. Howbeit, only near-infrared photons can transmit information for large distances over optical fibers. As a matter of fact, near-infrared photons have wavelengths about 10 times longer than that of photons in visible light.
Quantum Science makes Framework for Entanglement
To address this problem, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a solution. For the very first time, researchers have created quantum-correlated pairs. Each of the pair contains one photon from the visible spectrum and one from near-infrared spectrum. The quantum components are paired using chip-based optical components that are easy to produce in large numbers.
To their advantage, the photon pairs makes for the best combination. The photons of visible light can interact with ions, trapped atoms, or other systems, for the interaction to serve as quantum version of computer memory. In this arrangement, near-infrared photons of the combination are free to move large distances over optical fibers.
With this new pairing, the capability of light-based circuits to transmit information securely to faraway locations receives a boost. NIST researchers, along with their colleagues at University of Maryland Nanocenter demonstrate the phenomenon – entanglement, which uses a specific pair of near-infrared photons and visible light photons.
