Oxford Scientists Claim to Have Achieved Teleportation Using a Quantum Supercomputer

Scientists at the University of Oxford have successfully demonstrated quantum teleportation using a scalable quantum supercomputer. This breakthrough involves Tele porting logical gates (the fundamental components of quantum algorithms) across a network link, rather than just transferring quantum states.

 

Dougal Main and Beth Nichol working on the distributed quantum computer. Image credit: John Cairns.

This achievement addresses the scalability problem in quantum computing, potentially paving the way for a future quantum internet that could offer ultra-secure communication and computation. It's a significant step towards making quantum computing practical on a large scale.

According to the study lead, Dougal Main, this is a significant advancement because previous demonstrations of quantum teleportation focused on transferring quantum states between physically separated systems while this study achieved the teleportation of logical gates (the fundamental components of quantum algorithms) across a network link.

Quantum teleportation is a fascinating process but is different from Science Fiction Teleportation. Science Fiction Teleportation is often depicted as the instantaneous transport of a person or object from one location to another. While Quantum Teleportation involves transferring quantum information from one location to another without physically moving the particles involved. 

It's important to note that quantum teleportation doesn't involve the physical transportation of particles themselves, just the transfer of their quantum state. Also, classical information must be sent alongside the quantum process, so it doesn't violate the speed of light limit.

In this study published in Nature, the team used quantum teleportation to create interactions between distant systems, allowing them to perform logical quantum gates between qubits housed in separate quantum computers. This effectively "wires together" distinct quantum processors into a single, fully-connected quantum computer.

The researchers developed a scalable architecture based on modules containing a small number of trapped-ion qubits (atomic-scale carriers of quantum information). These modules are linked together using optical fibers and photonic links (light-based data transmission) rather than electrical signals.

The photonic links enable qubits in separate modules to be entangled, allowing quantum logic to be performed across the modules using quantum teleportation. This means that logical operations can be executed between qubits housed in different quantum computers.

By linking multiple quantum processors, the researchers effectively created a distributed quantum computer. This approach addresses the scalability problem by allowing computations to be distributed across the network, potentially enabling the connection of millions of qubits.

The breakthrough could lay the groundwork for a future quantum internet, where distant processors form an ultra-secure network for communication, computation, and sensing.

Professor David Lucas, principal investigator of the research team and lead scientist for the UK Quantum Computing and Simulation Hub, led from the Department of Physics, said:

Our experiment demonstrates that network-distributed quantum information processing is feasible with current technology.

Scaling up quantum computers remains a formidable challenge that will likely require new physics insights and intensive engineering efforts over the coming years said professor Lucas. 

The researchers believe this breakthrough could lay the groundwork for a future quantum internet, which would offer an ultra-secure network for communications, computation, and sensing. The scalable architecture they developed uses modules containing a small number of trapped-ion qubits linked together via optical fibers. This modular approach could potentially overcome the scalability challenges faced by quantum computing.

It's an exciting development that brings us closer to realizing the full potential of quantum computing on a practical scale.