Abstract
Quantum information theory can be seen as the art of turning quantum conundrums into potentially useful processes. Some examples are, in order of decreasing feasibility with today's technology, quantum cryptography, dense coding, quantum teleportation, quantum computers.1 Admittedly, only quantum cryptography is realistic at present.2 However, this new view of the peculiarities of quantum physics raises a fascinating question: Are Turing machines universal or are quantum computers fundamentally more efficient? In the first alternative, all major security systems used today are in great danger, since it would imply that there is a classical analog of Shor's factorization algorithm.3 In the second alternative, we would have to revise our understanding of "information," it would become part of physics.4
© 1998 Optical Society of America
PDF ArticleMore Like This
L.J. Wang, C.K. Hong, and S.R. Friberg
QMG1 Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference (CLEO:FS) 2000
J.D. Franson
QThA1 Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference (CLEO:FS) 2001
Markus Michler, Ramón Risco-Delgado, and Harald Weinfurter
QTuJ3 European Quantum Electronics Conference (EQEC) 1998