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Santa Monica, California: Cisco Systems has introduced a prototype quantum entanglement chip and inaugurated the Cisco Quantum Lab in Santa Monica, marking a significant stride in quantum networking.
Developed in collaboration with the University of California, Santa Barbara, the chip is designed to interconnect quantum computers, potentially accelerating the advent of practical quantum computing by up to a decade.
Key Facts:
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Announcement Date: May 6, 2025
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Chip Capabilities: Generates up to 200 million entangled photon pairs per second, operates at room temperature, and consumes less than 1 milliwatt of power.
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Lab Location: Santa Monica, California
The entanglement chip employs photonic integrated circuit technology to produce high-fidelity entangled photon pairs, enabling instantaneous communication between quantum systems—a phenomenon Einstein termed "spooky action at a distance."
Its compatibility with existing fiber-optic infrastructure facilitates integration into current networks.
Cisco's approach focuses on networking quantum processors to create scalable quantum data centers, diverging from the industry trend of solely increasing qubit counts.
This strategy aims to overcome current limitations in quantum computing by enabling distributed systems.
The newly established Cisco Quantum Lab will serve as a hub for advancing quantum networking technologies, including the development of entanglement distribution protocols and quantum network development kits.
"To build out that quantum network, the first building block that you need is an entanglement chip," stated Vijoy Pandey, Senior Vice President of Outshift by Cisco.
Cisco's initiatives are poised to impact various sectors, offering applications such as ultra-precise time synchronization for financial systems and secure communication channels.
By laying the groundwork for a quantum internet, Cisco is positioning itself at the forefront of next-generation networking.
Do You Know?
Cisco's entanglement chip operates at standard telecom wavelengths, allowing it to utilize existing fiber-optic networks, thereby reducing the need for new infrastructure in quantum networking deployments.
Key Terms:
Quantum Entanglement: A quantum phenomenon where particles become interconnected and the state of one instantly influences the state of another, regardless of distance.
Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC): A device that integrates multiple photonic functions, such as light generation and modulation, on a single chip.
Quantum Data Center: A facility designed to house quantum computing systems, enabling large-scale quantum processing and storage.
Quantum Network Development Kit (QNDK): A suite of tools and protocols for developing and managing quantum networks.