Lasers, transistors, and LEDs are some of the inventions based on quantum physics that have widespread applications and have profoundly transformed modern society.
As the building blocks of computing devices shrank to the micron and nanometer scales, digital information technology gained greater storage capacity and computing/processing power.
Portable optoelectronic devices like handphones and tablets, and distanced communication through a global network of wireless electromagnetic fields and fiber optics became accessible to everyone.
These advances have loaded us with a huge amount of digital information (big data and 5G), driving the economy and businesses and triggering the 4th industrial revolution (4IR).
These technologies are based on the fundamental knowledge of electrons, atoms, photons, and their interactions that can only be described by quantum mechanics.
But that is not all quantum physics can offer.
Two quantum physics concepts are at the heart of quantum technology behind the coming quantum revolution.
Quantum superposition is where a quantum bit or particle can assume any combination of several quantum states simultaneously, in contrast to the usual bits of only 0 and 1.
Secondly, a particle’s quantum state can instantaneously affect another distant particle’s state via quantum entanglement. Sound spooky?
These concepts are used to assemble a sufficiently large number of quantum bits to build quantum computers capable of multitasking and parallel, simultaneous information processing.
Information search can proceed in parallel by searching everywhere for an answer “at once,” yielding the answer within seconds without going through multiple sequential searches.
The same concept enables quantum computers to perform mathematical feats, such as factoring large numbers, at a much faster rate than a supercomputer.
Therefore, able to break all existing encryptions or passwords within a relatively short period, posing a threat to information security, particularly financial and banking corporations.
The next quantum revolution is already here! Scientists worldwide compete to harness “entanglement” for disruptive applications and compete for information and computing supremacy.
The race to develop quantum technology is between the United States, China and Europe.
China launched a quantum satellite in August 2016 and has been developing a big plan to connect their cities with quantum networks.
The United Kingdom government invested €370 million in quantum technologies in December 2013 for the next 5 years.
The European Commission followed suit in 2016 and invested €1 billion over 10 years.
In December 2018, the United States Senate passed the National Quantum Initiative, which authorised $1.275 billion over five years for quantum information science research and education.
Quantum computing and classical computing are compared. (Source)
Quantum technology has also caught the attention of big industrial players.
Companies like IBM, Google, D-Wave, and Alibaba have invested heavily in developing quantum computers with remarkable capabilities that conventional computers do not have.
The eavesdropping incident by Edward Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor, has alerted the world to the vulnerability of current cryptography technology.
QKD uses quantum particles to send data securely—any attempt to intercept it is instantly detected, protecting mission-critical communication. (Source)
Quantum cryptography is a proven technique that promises secure transmission of confidential information, such as passwords encrypted as “keys” in quantum bits, via the teleportation of quantum states.
The technology is (unconditionally) secure because it can detect eavesdropping.
It is continuously being perfected to be robust against any potential hacking, even by quantum computers, thus enabling highly confidential data to be communicated with peace of mind.
The current initiative is to extend the secure communication distance beyond hundreds of kilometres via fibre optics to establish a regional-scale quantum network and quantum internet.
A long-distance quantum communication network promises secure intercity links between government agencies and financial hubs.
Boosting cybersecurity is more important than ever, given the increased reliance on online communications for work and business since the COVID-19 pandemic and the significant rise in cybersecurity threats, as reported in The Star on 12 April 2020.
Researchers from several local universities are teaming up to develop in-house quantum communication technology (QCT) for affordable and high-security quantum networks.
The initiative aligns with the National Cyber Security Policy (NCSP) and would benefit the government, academia, industries, society and the environment.
It is important to give Malaysia greater self-reliance and control of our defence and national security.
Another class of applications of quantum physics, besides quantum computing and quantum communication, is quantum metrology, which provides new modes of measurements, sensing, and imaging with unprecedented levels of spatial and temporal resolution precision.
The promising feats of quantum physics, from theory to applications in modern information technology, are exciting developments that should not be missed.
Professor Dr Raymond Ooi obtained his Dr.rer.nat (PhD) from Universität Konstanz, Germany. In 2003, he worked with the prominent Professor Marlan Scully at Texas A&M University, a renowned quantum optics and laser physics guru. He was a regular Visiting Scientist at Princeton University and the Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik. In 2006, he joined KAIST as a Research Professor and then Korea University as an Assistant Professor. He joined Universiti Malaya in 2010. He started the “Quantum and Laser Science” research group, equipped with a femtosecond-laser optics lab, with support from a high-impact research grant.
