The photonics chip experimental rig (left) Artistic concept of the circuit (right) (via University of Bristol)
"Spooky action at a distance," - Einstein on the quantum entanglement of two particles
The University of Bristol has created a 70 mm x 3mm silica chip that is able to perform quantum experiments, while later it can be reprogrammed for other tasks. The Photonics chip contains has eight electrodes that can manipulate "entangled states" of two photon pairs. In the waveguide circuits the photon are adjusted by voltage controlled phase shifters (metal contacts on the surface.). This setup is the first of its kind. Professor Jeremy O'Brien believes this chip is "a major step forward towards optical quantum computing."
Lead author of the study Peter Shadbolt elaborated on the concept, "It isn’t ideal if your quantum computer can only perform a single specific task... We would prefer to have a reconfigurable device which can perform a broad variety of tasks, much like our desktop PCs today - this reconfigurable ability is what we have now demonstrated... This device is approximately ten times more complex than previous experiments using this technology. It’s exciting because we can perform many different experiments in a very straightforward way, using a single reconfigurable chip."
Developments like this inch us closer to the "Technological Singularity." Where a greater-than-human intelligence is created through technology. Many believe this "super intelligence" will come from inception of a quantum computer system. From 4 pairs of electrodes to the intellectual event horizon may still be a long journey.
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