Towards quantum internet with combined optical and electrical technique

An Australian team led by researchers at the University of New South Wales has achieved a breakthrough in quantum science that brings the prospect of a network of ultra-powerful quantum computers - connected via a quantum internet –closer to reality.

The team is the first in the world to have detected the spin, or quantum state, of a single atom using a combined optical and electrical approach.

The study is a collaboration between researchers from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology based at UNSW, the Australian National University and the University of Melbourne. It is published in the journal Nature.

UNSW's Professor Sven Rogge said the technical feat was achieved with a single atom of erbium – a rare earth element commonly used in communications - embedded in silicon.

"We have the best of both worlds with our combination of an electrical and optical system. This is a revolutionary new technique, and people had doubts it was possible. It is the first step towards a global quantum internet," Professor Rogge said.