The United Statesis working on a new national quantum internetthat could become operational within the next decade. According to a Department of Energy (DOE) the new, untraceable internetwould be based on quantum technology and use the principles of quantum mechanics to transmit information more securely than existing networks.
The idea and how to implement it presented at a conference at the University of Chicago. The Department of Energy said it would put the nation at the forefront of the quantum internet.
In February, with the help of university and industry researchers in quantum mechanics, the organization succeeded in creating a 52-mile (83 km) “quantum loop” in the suburbs of Chicago, one of the longest land-based quantum networks in the US.
The goal is to create a parallel and more secure network based on the concept of quantum entanglement, or the transmission of subatomic particles. The Department of Energy has said it aims to create such a network within the next 10 years.
“The foundation of quantum networks is based on our ability to precisely synthesize and manipulate matter at the atomic scale, including controlling individual photons,” said David Awschalom, a professor at the University of Chicago and senior scientist at Argonne National Laboratory.
As the Department of Energy stated, the reasons behind using quantum transmission for a secure internet are that “it is extremely difficult to intercept as information passes between locations,” which can help create “nearly invulnerable networks.”
According to the Ministry, the first sectors to adopt the quantum internet are banking and healthcare. Other sectors in which it could also be useful are national security and aviation.
Eventually, quantum networking technology will also be released for mobile phones, impacting the lives of people around the world.
