Quantum internet is closer to reality! New research on qubits opens up advanced opportunities

Qubits are the building blocks of quantum computers, but they are also extremely fragile. Generally, scientists use it to read and extract information, but sometimes qubits tend to break down in the process. But new research conducted by experts from the University of Colorado Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology reveals that professionals can take a leap forward while handling qubits, without the risk of breaking them. This new research gives hopes for a future driven by quantum internet.

In the quantum domain, data can be encoded in the state of qubits, which can also be built inside digital devices like a quantum computer or a processor. A quantum internet would involve sending these qubits across a network of multiple quantum devices. But with the risks of destroying these qubits, the hopes for a quantum internet were also vague. The new research is conducted by a team of renowned physicists and the study demonstrates that researchers can read out signals from a type of qubit, known as superconducting qubit using laser light, without the risk of destroying it.

Tech experts say that these reports might eventually lead researchers to develop quantum internet. The team uses a wafer-thin piece of silicon and nitrogen to transform the signal that is coming out of a superconducting qubit into visible light, the similar kind that already carries digital signals from different locations through fiberoptic cables. The features of quantum internet might sound very similar to the classic internet, but advancements in the qubits technology are opening up major opportunities in more niche applications of the quantum internet.

This newly developed network aims to link up dozens or even thousands of quantum chips, enabling engineers to solve problems that might be beyond the understanding of modern supercomputers. Well, now it seems like we are a step closer to quantum internet and realizing immersive virtual experiences.