Future of Engineering
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Future 'Quantum Computers' Can Make Credit Card Encryption Technology Obsolete
An unusual observation in a University of Central Florida physics lab may lead to a new generation of quantum computers that will render today's computer and credit card encryption technology obsolete.
The basis for current encryption systems is that computers would need thousands of years to factor a large number, making it very difficult to do. However, if UCF Professor Enrique del Barco's observation can be fully understood and applied, scientists may have the basis to create quantum computers -- which could easily break the most complicated encryption in a matter of hours.
Del Barco said the observation may foster the understanding of quantum tunneling of nanoscale magnetic systems, which could revolutionize the way we understand computation.
According to quantum mechanics, small magnetic objects called nanomagnets can exist in two distinct states. They can switch their state through a phenomenon called quantum tunneling. switch is called quantum tunneling because it looks like a funnel cloud tunneling from one pole to another.
Del Barco published paper shows that two almost independent halves of a new magnetic molecule can tunnel, or switch poles, at once under certain conditions. In the process, they appear to cancel out quantum tunneling. This is somewhat similar in concept to what can be observed when two rays of light run into interference. Once the they run into the interference you can expect darkness.
Essentially, what this simultaneous tunneling means is that quantum tunneling can be controlled. Controlling quantum tunneling shifts could help create the quantum logic gates necessary to create quantum computers.
Quantum computers, if they become a reality, could have such dramatically enhanced processing speeds that some of the operations that are today considered to take an inconsiderably long time can be completed much quicker. This is mostly good, but sometimes such phenomenally faster computers could also create problems. Quantum computers, for instance, can also make much of today's credit card encryption technologies obsolete!
Read a more detailed report here
See also a related report Qutrits Bring Quantum Computer Closer
Related blogposts
Future Quantum Computers Will Offer Increased Efficiency… And Risks
Quantum computers: technological deliverance or the end of security?
The basis for current encryption systems is that computers would need thousands of years to factor a large number, making it very difficult to do. However, if UCF Professor Enrique del Barco's observation can be fully understood and applied, scientists may have the basis to create quantum computers -- which could easily break the most complicated encryption in a matter of hours.
Del Barco said the observation may foster the understanding of quantum tunneling of nanoscale magnetic systems, which could revolutionize the way we understand computation.
According to quantum mechanics, small magnetic objects called nanomagnets can exist in two distinct states. They can switch their state through a phenomenon called quantum tunneling. switch is called quantum tunneling because it looks like a funnel cloud tunneling from one pole to another.
Del Barco published paper shows that two almost independent halves of a new magnetic molecule can tunnel, or switch poles, at once under certain conditions. In the process, they appear to cancel out quantum tunneling. This is somewhat similar in concept to what can be observed when two rays of light run into interference. Once the they run into the interference you can expect darkness.
Essentially, what this simultaneous tunneling means is that quantum tunneling can be controlled. Controlling quantum tunneling shifts could help create the quantum logic gates necessary to create quantum computers.
Quantum computers, if they become a reality, could have such dramatically enhanced processing speeds that some of the operations that are today considered to take an inconsiderably long time can be completed much quicker. This is mostly good, but sometimes such phenomenally faster computers could also create problems. Quantum computers, for instance, can also make much of today's credit card encryption technologies obsolete!
Read a more detailed report here
See also a related report Qutrits Bring Quantum Computer Closer
Related blogposts
Future Quantum Computers Will Offer Increased Efficiency… And Risks
Quantum computers: technological deliverance or the end of security?
Labels: Computer-Science
PermaLink - Future 'Quantum Computers' Can Make Credit Card Encryption Technology Obsolete posted by Ecacofonix : 1:31 AM
