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Quantum Mechanics Could Thwart Counterfeiters

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GARCHING, Germany, CAMBRIDGE, Mass., and PASADENA, Calif., Oct. 4, 2012 — Physicists in Germany and the US want to take a principle from nature — that information stored on a quantum bit, or qubit, cannot be cloned — and apply it to the problem of credit card fraud. Collaborators at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics, Harvard University and California Institute of Technology think quantum tokens could be an answer. The identity of the owner of the tokens is encoded on photons transmitted via an optical fiber or in the nuclear spin state of memory, and only the bank stores a full classical description of these quantum states. The idea...Read full article

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    Published: October 2012
    Glossary
    photonics
    The technology of generating and harnessing light and other forms of radiant energy whose quantum unit is the photon. The science includes light emission, transmission, deflection, amplification and detection by optical components and instruments, lasers and other light sources, fiber optics, electro-optical instrumentation, related hardware and electronics, and sophisticated systems. The range of applications of photonics extends from energy generation to detection to communications and...
    quantum optics
    The area of optics in which quantum theory is used to describe light in discrete units or "quanta" of energy known as photons. First observed by Albert Einstein's photoelectric effect, this particle description of light is the foundation for describing the transfer of energy (i.e. absorption and emission) in light matter interaction.
    qubit
    A qubit, short for quantum bit, is the fundamental unit of information in quantum computing and quantum information processing. Unlike classical bits, which can exist in one of two states (0 or 1), qubits can exist in multiple states simultaneously, thanks to a quantum property known as superposition. This unique feature enables quantum computers to perform certain types of calculations much more efficiently than classical computers. Key characteristics of qubits include: Superposition: A...
    AmericasCalifornia Institute of Technologyclassical verification quantum ticketColumbia Universitydefenseencoded photonsEuropeFernando PastawskiHarvard UniversityIgnacio CiracMax Planck Institute of Quantum OpticsMikhail LukinMPQnoise toleranceOpticsphotonicsquantum credit cardquantum informationquantum moneyquantum opticsquantum ticketquantum tokensqubitResearch & TechnologyStephen Wiesnerverification process

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