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Quantum technology explainer
What is quantum technology and why should we care about it?
The term quantum technology refers to a collection of technologies under development that leverage the strange and counterintuitive laws of quantum physics for useful applications. Quantum physics describes the behaviour of the smallest particles (i.e. at the atomic or subatomic levels, using the properties of electrons, photons, atoms or molecules) and lowest temperatures known to science.
Most quantum technology applications revolve around information: new ways to collect it, process it or transmit it. Some of these new techniques could eventually be vastly more powerful than any existing capabilities. For example, quantum sensors could allow us to make measurements that approach the highest degree of accuracy that is allowed by the laws of physics themselves.
Another example: Today’s internet security relies on mathematical problems that are extremely hard for conventional computers to solve, such as breaking the codes that protect our online banking, emails and digital identities. This code-breaking typically involves finding the prime factors of a 232-digit number – a very challenging computational task – that would take 2,000 years on one conventional computer. But a quantum computer may one day be able to factor a much, much larger 617-digit number in less than five days. Factoring large numbers may seem like an esoteric task, but math problems like factoring lie at the bedrock of modern internet encryption. So, quantum computers could one day have very practical impacts on our lives.
Today, quantum technology still lies at an early stage of development, but it is advancing rapidly. Many nations around the world have identified quantum technology as a strategic technology of the future and are investing billions in research and development through both public and private funding. Newer applications of quantum technology, such as quantum computing, have not yet demonstrated any clear practical advantages over conventional computers, but they may soon do so. Indeed, for several decades, so-called ‘Quantum 1.0’ technologies – such as lasers and transistors – have been in widespread use. One quantum technology application – the atomic clocks that lie at the heart of the GPS and Galileo satellite navigation systems – has already transformed our daily lives and generated substantial economic value. Over the next few years, the latest wave of quantum technologies, sometimes referred to as ‘Quantum 2.0’, is expected to give rise to new products and services with the potential to significantly impact sectors like health, finance, energy, defence, aerospace and telecommunications.
Quantum technology is usually divided into three categories: quantum sensing, quantum computing, and quantum communications.
Quantum
sensing
Quantum sensing refers to sensors that use quantum physics to make some of the most accurate measurements allowed by the laws of physics. Quantum sensors could potentially be used for applications as varied as biomedicine, underground prospecting, navigation without GPS, and robust communications. A major application is ultra-precise timing using quantum clocks, which can enable advances in synchronisation for telecommunications, navigation systems, and scientific research.
Quantum
computing
Quantum computing refers to a new class of computers that can process information in fundamentally different ways compared to conventional computers (including performing certain calculations much faster). Quantum computers could soon be useful for tasks such scientific research, finance and logistics. But they may also eventually be able to attack the encryption systems that keep our communications secure, with potentially far-reaching and damaging implications for privacy and national security. It is expected that quantum computers will be able to solve a range of specific computational challenges that conventional computers (including supercomputers) cannot address. However, rather than replacing current computer technologies, quantum computers are likely to complement them.
Quantum
communications
Quantum communications systems transmit information over packets of light energy called photons. These systems have already been deployed (to a limited extent) to protect sensitive information from interception by eavesdroppers. In the future, they may be capable of networking together quantum computers and/or quantum sensors and improving their capabilities. One day, there could even be a large-scale “quantum internet” of many types of quantum devices in constant communication.
Check out our glossary for more information about these and other quantum technology terms.
A lot of research and development lies ahead of us before we can unlock the full power that quantum technologies promise. But the history of computers and the internet demonstrates that new ways of processing and sharing information can transform our society.
