Entangled Photon Emitter That Fits in Computer Chip Developed

Researchers at the Università degli Studi di Pavia in Italy has developed a component that can generate a steady stream of entangled photons. This device, called a micro-ring resonator, is tiny enough to fit in a standard silicon computer chip.

Entanglement may be the foundation of a new way to connect and transmit information. Entanglement is the mysterious connection between two particles where they interact with each other physically even when separated; regardless of distance. Einstein was quoted as describing this property as 'spooky action at a distance'.

In theory, even if the two photons are galaxies apart, they still interact with each other.

Current entangled photon emitters are too big to fit in a computer chip. The development of this micro-ring resonator is a step forward to secure communications and faster computers.

The resonators are loops etched onto the silicon chip. They can corral and re-emit particles of light as illustrated in the image above of the silicon ring resonator with its access waveguide. In the image, the green wave at the input represents the laser pump, the red and blue wave-packets at the output represent the generated photon pairs, and the infinity symbol linking the two outputs indicates the entanglement between the pair of photons.

Using 'Hidden Influence Inequality' To Explain Quantum Nonlocality

In 1964, physicist John Stewart Bell published his paper, "On the Einstein Podolsky Rosen paradox". In the paper, he derived his theorem, Bells Theorem, that states that - No physical theory of local hidden variables can ever reproduce all of the predictions of quantum mechanics. Local hidden variables refers to realism and the local causality theory where combined, it meant that distant events are assumed to have no instantaneous (or at least faster-than-light) effect on local ones.

This meant that classical mechanics cannot explain everything that is going on in quantum mechanics.