Quantum on the edge: Light shines on new pathway for quantum technology (w/video)

Phys.org  November 1, 2018
To unleash the potential of quantum technology, scientists need to find a way to protect the entangled superposition of qubits at the nanoscale. An international team of researchers (Australia, Israel) developed a novel lattice structure of silicon nanowires, creating a particular symmetry that provides unusual robustness to the photons’ correlation. Robustness stems from the underlying topology. Waveguides made using silicon nanowires were lined up in pairs with a deliberate defect in symmetry through the middle, creating two lattice structures with different topologies and an intervening ‘edge’. This topology allows for the creation of special modes in which the photons can pair up—called ‘edge modes’. These modes allow information carried by the paired photons to be transported in a robust fashion that otherwise would have been scattered and lost across a uniform lattice. The research opens a pathway to build a new type of qubits…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE