Open-Air Quantum Teleportation Sends Data Across 97 Kms Over A Lake

In order to achieve large-scale quantum communication as well as a distributed quantum network, transfer of an quantum state over long-distance is very important. And Juan Yin with his team of Chinese researchers has achieved just that. They've made 'Quantum Teleportation' possible using highly-accurate lasers and tracking system. By successful teleporting a qubit of data using entangled photos 97 kilometers across a lake, the team achieved a new landmark. More importantly, because they didn't use fiber-optic cables.

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Photo illustration of the beacon laser, used to track an entangled photon signal across Qinghai Lake. The statue is Padmasambhava at the Lotus Temple at Gangcha.

The use of fiber-optic cables for doing the same task ensures point-to-point accuracy, but results in 'quantum decoherence', in other words it corrupts the data. So instead of that, using this newly developed laser pointing device, they created a link between the two remote locations subduing the minute seismic and atmosphere shifts. This means now we are a step closer to building an efficiently-encrypted super-fast data transmission system and the next step could be the quantum repeater satellites. Though such a thing would seem to take years to happen, we are eagerly looking forward to a new breakthrough.

Via: Open-air quantum teleportation performed across a 97km lake | Ars Technica