
Physicists design quantum triggers that can be activated by a photon - adventured
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2014/04/flipping-the-switch/
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hosh
"While it’s unlikely the switches will become standard equipment for personal
computers, Lukin said ..."

I find that a very odd statement. I can see uses for this in personal
computing devices. Assuming there are easier ways to set up the circuit, etc.

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alexnking

      "Such systems make it impossible to intercept 
      and read messages sent over a network, because 
      the very act of measuring a quantum object 
      changes it, leaving behind telltale signs of 
      the spying.
    
      'It’s unlikely everyone would need this type of 
      technology...'"
    

I wonder if they're saying it would be impractical at a large scale, or that
it's not necessary because it's not like _everybody_ is being spied on or
anything :)

~~~
beloch
Google vacuum chambers and optical tweezers if you want to see why these
switches might be impractical for home users. The ease of scaling they refer
to is likely just the number of switches they can fit in one chamber.

On the other hand, you don't need a classical switch in your house to get on
the Internet. If quantum repeater networks ever roll out to people's homes (a
very long time from now), the switch will only need to be within a hundred
kilometers or so of the user. By then, this sort of construction won't be out
of the question for telco substations. Still, an entirely solid state solution
would obviously be preferred.

~~~
qwerty_asdf
I'm assuming that the "switches" they're currently experimenting on also
probably aren't designed to function as telecommunications switching equipment
might. I'd imagine they have all the frills and features of a circuit breaker
or a knife switch.

So, in that sense they really are "classic" switches in terms of representing
the raw fundamentals of functionality for the purposes of experimentation, but
not in the sense of "classical physics" where the off state is caused by
introducing a physical air gap to the circuit.

