Quantum computing one step closer

Quantum computing involves the production and communication of entangled photons. Manipulating light at the single-photon level has previously been outside the realm of modern electronic technology, presenting a significant barrier to more widespread research and development of quantum computing technology. Recently, a highly collaborative international team has used nanotechnology to bring single-photon manipulation within reach of chip-based silicon electronics. The chip they designed operates at room temperature, and can generate quantum light in the infrared spectrum, making it plausible for use in a variety of telecommunications applications, as current telecommunications networks operate at infrared frequencies. According Shayan Mookherjea, one of the researchers, these developments could "[...] bring about enormous improvements over their classical counterparts in terms of speed or security or computational complexity."