Optical fibers suitable for quantum computing era

 Scientists at the University of Bath in the UK have created a new class of specialist optical fibers to address the data transfer issues that are anticipated to occur in the era of quantum computing.

With the unmatched processing capacity that quantum technologies promise to deliver, we will be able to create novel medications, solve challenging logical puzzles, and create unbreakable cryptography methods for safe communication. However, because of their solid optical fiber cores, the cable networks that are now in use for global information transmission are probably not the best option for quantum communications.

The specialty fibers made at Bath feature a micro-structured core, which is made up of an intricate pattern of air pockets that runs the whole length of the fiber, in contrast to ordinary optical fibers.

The mainstay of today's telecommunications networks, traditional optical fibers, transfer light at wavelengths that are solely determined by silica glass losses. Nevertheless, Dr. Kristina Rusimova of Bath University's Department of Physics stated that these wavelengths are incompatible with the working wavelengths of single-photon sources, qubits, and active optical components, which are necessary for light-based quantum technologies.

advances in the recently developed subject of quantum computing, as reported in a scientific article that was published in Applied Physics Letters quantum.

Dr. Rusimova, the paper's lead senior author, stated, "Optical-fiber design and fabrication is at the forefront of the University of Bath Department of Physics research, and the optical fibers we are developing with quantum computers in mind are laying the foundations for the data transmission needs of tomorrow."]

Entanglement at the quantum level

One intriguing medium for quantum processing is light. Quantum technologies can make use of the special quantum characteristics that individual light particles, or photons, possess.

One such instance is quantum entanglement, in which two photons separated by a significant distance are able to instantly affect one other's attributes in addition to holding information about one another. Pairs of entangled photons can actually exist as both a one and a zero at the same time, unleashing vast amounts of computational power, in contrast to the binary bits of traditional computers, which can only be either one or a zero.

A quantum internet will rely on optical fibers to transfer data from node to node, much like the current internet does. These optical fibers won't work with the same supporting technologies as current ones and are probably going to be significantly different."

From the standpoint of optical fiber technology, the researchers address the inherent difficulties with the quantum internet and offer a variety of viable alternatives for the scalability of a strong, expansive quantum network.

This includes the fibers that will be used for long-distance communication as well as specialty fibers that will enable the direct integration of quantum repeaters into the network to increase the operating distance of this technology.  

First-author of the article and Bath physicist Dr. Cameron McGarry stated, "A quantum internet is a crucial ingredient in delivering on the immense promises of Going beyond merely joining nodes

They also explain how speciality optical fibers, serving as sources of entangled single photons, low-loss switches, quantum wavelength converters, or vessels for quantum memories, might go beyond just linking network nodes to performing quantum computation at the nodes themselves.

"Speciality fibers, which are routinely fabricated at Bath, have a micro-structured core, consisting of a complex pattern of air pockets running along the entire length of the fiber," stated Dr. McGarry. "This is in contrast to the optical fibers that are standardly used for telecommunications."

"The pattern of these air pockets is what allows researchers to manipulate the properties of the light inside the fiber and create entangled pairs of photons, change the color of photons, or even trap individual atoms inside the fibers."

Dr. Kerrianne Harrington, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Physics, stated that researchers worldwide are rapidly and excitingly expanding the possibilities of microstructured optical fibers in ways that are appealing to industry.

"Our perspective describes the exciting advances of these novel fibers and how they could be beneficial to future quantum technologies."

"What makes fibers useful is their ability to tightly confine light and transport it over long distances," said Dr. Alex Davis, an EPSRC Quantum Career Acceleration Fellow at Bath.

"As well as generating entangled photons, this allows us to generate more exotic quantum states of light with applications in quantum computing, precision sensing and impregnable message encryption."

This enables us to create more unusual quantum states of light in addition to entangled photons, which has applications in impenetrable communication encryption, precision sensing, and quantum computing."

It is yet unclear whether a quantum device can do a task more quickly than a traditional computer, or if this is known as the quantum advantage. The technological obstacles mentioned in the outlook should allow for new directions in quantum research and advance our achievement of this significant goal. It is anticipated that Bath's optical fiber fabrication will contribute to the development of future quantum computers.