Taiwan develops world's smallest single-photon quantum computer

Taipei/Hsinchu, Oct. 17 (CNA) Researchers at National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) said on Wednesday they have developed the world's smallest quantum computer that for the first time utilizes a single photon to perform quantum algorithms.

At a press conference at the Hsinchu-based university on Wednesday, Professor Chuu Chih-sung (褚志崧) demonstrated the box-sized computer's ability to complete prime factorization according to the three-stage "Shor's algorithm" approach.

Chuu explained that his team's uniquely small quantum computer is able to encode information in "32 time-bins or dimensions" within the wave packet of a single high-dimensional photon, a foundational particle for electromagnetic interactions.

Chuu said that photons can maintain stable quantum states at room temperature, resulting in lower energy costs compared with other quantum computer types that require cooler temperatures.

Photons also enable long-distance transmission of information with minimal interference, Chuu added, offering unique advantages in terms of commercial applications.

Speaking at the press conference, NTHU President Kao Wei-yuan (高為元) noted that -- unlike the computers in the United States' leading quantum computer lab -- the team's small photon-based device doesn't require large cooling systems, representing a "major milestone" in the field of quantum technology.

Professor Mou Chung-yu (牟中瑜), director of NTHU's College of Science, said at the event that photonic quantum computing will eventually be used in a wide range of applications including drug development, logistics optimization, data security and artificial intelligence.

The team's research was published on Sept. 3 in the engineering and physics academic journal Physical Review Applied under the title "Implementation of Shor's Algorithm with a Single Photon in 32 Dimensions."