Fabricating a photonic quantum computer

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Quantum mechanics was developed a century ago to describe a microscopic world that is fundamentally probabilistic, where a single object can be in two places at once-superposition-and where two objects in remote locations can be instantaneously connected-entanglement. Understanding these un- usual properties has been the topic of (meta-) physical debate ever since. More recently attention has focused on the potential for harnessing these properties for dramatic improvements in the power and functionality of information and communication tasks- quantum information technologies (QITs).The impact of these new technologies will be profound and far-reaching: secure communication networks for consumers, corporations and government; precision sensors for biomedical technology and environmental monitoring; ultra-powerful quantum computers for the design of new materials, pharmaceuticals and clean energy devices. As these technologies mature new applications will inevitably emerge in fields such as medical technology, defence and security. However, engineering quantum systems and controlling them is an immense technological challenge: they are inherently fragile; and information extracted from a quantum system necessarily disturbs the system itself.