On September 21st 2014, scientists at the University of Geneva announced that they had successfully teleported the quantum state of a photon to a crystal encased photon 25 kilometers away. This experiment breaks the old record of 6 kilometers also set by the University of Geneva back in 2003.
The experiment was performed by creating a state of entanglement of two photons via a laser, then sending one of the photons through a fiber optic cable, while simultaneously sending the other photon to a crystal where it was stored. Then, a third photon was sent through the fiber optic cable where it collided with the first photon effectively destroying both photons.
When the scientists measured the results of the collision of the two photons, they discovered that the quantum state information of the third photon had not been destroyed. It had, however. made its way into the crystal where the second photon had been stored. This verified that the quantum state of a photon can be preserved with the two photons not needing to come into physical contact with each other. The crystal then became a memory storage point.
While all of this may not seem very exciting, the possibilities for future applications are phenomenal.
In fact, quantum encryption may one day make it possible for instantaneous communications, which would be great for future deep space missions or missions to Mars. One day, we might see a quantum internet that makes use of quantum routers that don't destroy the quantum information.
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