Quantum computers can perform certain calculations at remarkable speeds, yet connecting them over long distances has been one of the major obstacles to building large, reliable quantum networks.
Until recently, two quantum computers could only link through a fiber cable over a span of a few kilometers. This limitation meant that a system on the University of Chicago's South Side campus could not communicate with one in the Willis Tower, even though both are located within the same city. The distance was simply too great for current technology.
A new study published on November 6 in Nature Communications by University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME) Asst. Prof. Tian Zhong suggests that this boundary can be pushed dramatically farther. His team's work indicates that quantum connections could, in theory, extend up to 2,000 km (1,243 miles).
With this method, the UChicago quantum computer that once struggled to reach the Willis Tower could instead connect with a device located outside Salt Lake City, Utah.
"For the first time, the technology for building a global-scale quantum internet is within reach," said Zhong, who recently received the prestigious Sturge Prize for this research.
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