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Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign join scientists from the Chicago area to create a network that could eventually pave the way for communication that can not be hacked.
This effort is part of an initiative of national laboratories and state universities aimed at making Chicago a leader in an emerging field of physics and physics. engineering called quantum technology.
Quantum research is about studying matter and energy at the smallest possible scale. Experts believe that progress in this area could have far-reaching consequences, from eliminating cybersecurity risks to accelerating pharmaceutical discoveries. Technology giants and the federal government have drawn attention to this area, but so far, most quantum scientific advances have taken place in the laboratory.
This is where this project of scientists from the Chicago area is trying to progress.
Scientists plan to use an unused 30-mile long high-speed optical fiber network, which extends between the Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont and the Fermilator National Laboratory in Batavia. The light particles come and go on the underground fiber between the objects of each laboratory. This connection – called entanglement – allows communication between the two objects without moving them.
Imagine a magnet in Argonne pointing in a certain direction, said David Awschalom, a professor at the University of Chicago and Argonne scientist responsible for the project. The network could be used to teleport information about the direction of the magnet to Fermilab.
"(It) calls teleport information because we are moving the information, not the object itself," said Awschalom.
Here's the kicker: If someone watched – or hacked – the information provided, the information would change or be destroyed.
The project is being led by the Chicago Quantum Exchange, launched last year by the University of Chicago, Argonne and Fermilab. The University of I. announced Tuesday that she was joining the effort.
The University of I. is also planning to invest $ 15 million to create Quantum's Information Science and Technology Center in Illinois.
Some graduate students in the physics department are doing quantum studies, said Provost Andreas Cangellaris. But the school plans to develop graduate degrees and undergraduate concentrations in the region. It also plans to hire at least eight other faculty members in the field over the next four years. Cangellaris said the department currently has more than 25 faculty members whose research is relevant to quantum physics.
Cangellaris recognizes that the labor market for graduates with knowledge of quantum technology is still in its infancy. But the opportunities for talented people in this area cover industries, he said.
"As research progresses, the demand for this talent will increase rapidly," said Cangellaris.
With the growing interest of the federal government and well-capitalized technology companies, some experts expect this growth to begin soon.
In September, the White House held a summit on quantum science and the House of Representatives passed a bill calling for more than $ 1 billion for research in the field. In addition, Google, Microsoft and IBM, among others, have launched quantum research efforts.
Scientists working in the field strive to understand the properties of atoms, which often behave counter-intuitively in people's normal perception of physics.
Awschalom explained: If you throw a basketball against a wall, you'll be sure the ball bounces.
"If I told you in a quantum world that if you threw a basketball against a wall, it would pass, you would say," It's ridiculous, "he said." Things like that happen all the time on a quantum scale. "
Twitter @ AllyMarotti
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