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SUMMARY:Photonic Quantum Information Science and Technologies - Professor 
 Jeremy O'Brien (University of Bristol)
DTSTART:20111020T160000Z
DTEND:20111020T171500Z
UID:TALK34634@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:26108
DESCRIPTION:The theory of quantum mechanics was developed at the beginning
  of the twentieth century to better explain the spectra of light emitted b
 y atoms. At the time\, many people believed that physics was almost comple
 tely understood\, with only a few remaining anomalies to be ‘ironed out
 ’. The full theory of quantum mechanics emerged as a completely unexpect
 ed description of nature at a fundamental level. It portrays a world that 
 is fundamentally probabilistic\, where a single object can be in two place
 s at once—superposition—and where two objects in remote locations can 
 be instantaneously connected—entanglement. These unusual properties have
  been observed\, and quantum mechanics remains the most successful theory 
 ever developed\, in terms of the precision of its predictions. Today\, we 
 are learning how to harness these surprising quantum effects to realize pr
 ofoundly new quantum technologies. This lecture will examine how single pa
 rticles of light—photons—are being used to develop secure communicatio
 n systems based on the laws of physics\, precision measurements using enta
 ngled light\, and information processors that promise exponentially greate
 r computational power for particular tasks.
LOCATION:South Lecture Room\, Department of Archaeology
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