ETRI Develops Groundbreaking 8-Photon Quantum Circuit for Future Computing
In a major leap forward for quantum technology, the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), in partnership with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and the University of Trento, has developed an 8-photon silicon photonic integrated quantum circuit that achieves 6-qubit entanglement. This innovative technology paves the way for potential future scalability to 32 qubits, a significant advancement in the pursuit of practical quantum computing capabilities.
Pioneering Quantum Circuit Design
The new silicon photonic chip is a crucial step forward in the realm of quantum processing. It allows for the efficient manipulation of photonic qubits, which are zeroes and ones encoded within the paths of photons. This technology stands out for its key attributes: it operates at room temperature, consumes minimal energy, and provides considerable scalability.
This research is part of ETRI’s ongoing initiative supported by Korea’s National Research Foundation, aiming to enhance silicon photonics-based quantum computers. One of the longer-term goals is to establish cloud-based quantum computing services along with larger-scale quantum systems that could fundamentally alter computing as we know it.
Achievements in Quantum Entanglement
ETRI’s previous efforts have successfully demonstrated 2-qubit and 4-qubit entanglement, leading to exceptional performances using a 4-qubit silicon photonics chip. These findings have been recognized in respected scientific publications including Photonics Research and APL Photonics.
With the latest achievement of 6-qubit entanglement, researchers at ETRI have achieved a record-breaking milestone, showcasing the chip’s potential to explore various quantum phenomena, particularly multipartite entanglement through photon interactions.
How the Quantum Chip Works
The 8-qubit chip includes eight photonic sources and around 40 optical switches that manage the propagation paths of the photons. Out of these, about half are employed as linear-optic quantum gates. The intricate setup provides the basic framework for a quantum computer, enabling the measurement of final quantum states via single-photon detectors.
Key features of the chip include:
- Photon Propagation Paths: For encoding 4 qubits, 8 paths are needed; for 8 qubits, 16 paths are required.
- Quantum State Manipulation: The chip integrates photon sources, optical filters, and switches designed for precise measurement of quantum phenomena.
- Experimental Achievements: The research team has successfully examined the Hong-Ou-Mandel effect, a well-known quantum interference phenomenon involving mingling photons from different directions.
Future Prospects for Quantum Computing
According to Yoon Chun-Ju, Assistant Vice President of the Quantum Research Division at ETRI, the institute aims to push the boundaries of its quantum hardware technology toward a cloud-based quantum computing service. “Our main goal is to develop a lab-scale system to strengthen our research capabilities in quantum computation,” Yoon stated, highlighting the commitment to advancing the science and application of quantum technology.
Lee Jong-Moo, an esteemed member of ETRI’s Quantum Computing Research Section, emphasized the global race toward practical quantum computing. He remarked, “Research for the practical implementation of quantum computers is highly active worldwide. However, extensive long-term research is still needed to realize practical quantum computation, especially to overcome computational errors caused by noise in the quantum processes.”
ETRI’s Trailblazing Contributions
Over the past decade, ETRI has reached several significant milestones in quantum technology, including:
- The successful transmission of wireless quantum cryptography communication over 100 meters.
- Development of quantum computing compiler technologies.
- Standardizing quantum cryptography transmission systems in partnership with Korea’s major telecom companies.
- Establishing key technologies for a room-temperature-operable quantum internet.
- Demonstrating quantum algorithms for post-quantum cryptography.
With these achievements, ETRI solidifies its status as a leading global research institute focused on quantum computation, communication, and sensor technology.
The silicon photonics quantum chip research is part of ETRI’s New Concept Research Project, “Exploration of Silicon Photonics-Based Quantum Computer,” which is supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea’s Quantum Computing Development Project.
About ETRI
ETRI is a nonprofit, government-funded research institute established in 1976, dedicated to advancing Korea’s position in the global information and communications technology (ICT) landscape. By consistently developing groundbreaking technologies, ETRI plays a pivotal role in fortifying Korea’s status as a leading ICT nation.
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