EPFL Research Might Open Door to Secure, Small Quantum Processors

(Engadget) Researchers at EPFL have found a way to determine how light behaves beyond the limitations of wavelengths, opening the door to encoding quantum data in a sci-fi style holographic light pattern. This breakthrough in studying light might just be the ticket to the future of quantum computing. The team took advantage of the quantum nature of the interaction between electrons and light to separate beams in terms energy, not space — that let them use light pulses to encrypt info on the electron wave and map it with a speedy electron microscope.
The approach is still very early and might not reach quantum computers for a long time. However, it does hint at a future where you could have secure yet small quantum processors. Existing quantum computers tend to be giant, room-sized affairs — there’s no guarantee EPFL’s design will lead to something that fits on your desk or in your pocket, but it’s a step in the right direction.