In quantum theory, a strange phenomenon attracts scientists and philosophers: quantum entanglement theory. This concept is better known as “spooky action at a distance”, which completely contradicts all that one would imagine the world to be like. It assumed it was possible to have two particles get ‘linked’, thus the state of the first would determine the state of the second despite the physical space that may be between them. This phenomenon paves the way for understanding the mysterious world of quantum mechanics and has enormous possibilities of changing the way technology works especially in quantum computing, quantum networking, and even quantum artificial intelligence.
The quantum theory of entanglement also referred to as the idea of ‘spooky action at a distance’ was put forward by Albert Einstein, Boris Sapolsky & Nathan Roses in 1935. This proposes that two particles for instance the electrons and photons can get correlated in such a way that once one of the particles gets into a particular State then the other particle will also get into that state however much separated they may be. This has been proven in several experiments in quantum mechanics and even up to today scientists are still pondering and thinking on the data obtained from experiments.
As Schrödinger pointed out, when the two particles get entangled the properties of the particles get bound in a way that cannot be understood through classical physics. This implies that if the state of one particular particle is determined, then without any doubt or delay the state of the other particular particle will also be determined and this may happen no matter the separation distance between the two particular particles. This kind of immediate coupling appears to go against the laws of classical physics in which information cannot transfer at the speed of light.
And though the quantum entanglement theory might sound more fitting for a piece of Science fiction it is far from it because it has practical implications for the real world with branches in quantum computing as well as quantum cryptography. At the same time, through manipulating entangled particles, one can develop quantum computers that are many thousands of times superior to the traditional Computers. Therefore, other methods of quantum encryption that employ the theory of entanglement are almost impenetrable making it easy to establish secure links for passing sensitive information.
In för example, even though the theory of quantum entanglement opens a wide number of important opportunities, there are many problems to solve. One of the important challenges that is encountered in the operation of entanglement is the problem of distance since it is difficult to sustain entanglement with distance since it is easily interfered with by any extraneous influence.
To appreciate the principles of the entanglement theory, one needs to embark on a rather basic discovery of quantum mechanics and physics. Classical physics which dominated the thoughts right from the early part of the twentieth century as our window to the physical world was found to fail at the sub-microscopic regime. That is where quantum mechanics jumps in; it is a branch of physics that explores the strange behaviors of particles in the nanoscale.
Thus the locales for the birth of quantum theory – one of its fundamental premises being the wave-particle duality. As stated in this theory, electrons and other particles can act like both particulate and wave at the same time depending on how they are measured. In this realm, uncertainty becomes a rule of thumb a concept synthesized in Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle whereby precision of position correlates with imprecision of momentum and vice versa.
Quantum entanglement is added to this aura In the following ways. In 1935 Einstein with the contributions of Boris Podolsky and Nathan Rosen published one of the most important papers known as the EPR paradox paper, which raised the question of the incompleteness of quantum theory proposing the phenomenon of entangled particles. Einstein, however, did not believe in particle entanglement, and as much as subsequent experiments showed that this was real. This discovery paved way for the modern quantum communication and modern quantum computing.
Quantum Entanglement Theory
Essentially, quantum entanglement could be described as a condition where two or more particles can share certain characteristics in a way that a certain state of one particle determines the state of the other particle even if the latter is physically located far from the former. When two particles get entangled, information about the state of one particle ( spin, polarization etc, position, etc.) will automatically yield similar information about the other.
Such an entanglement remains intact even if the particles are located in distant regions, a feature that provides a violation of a concept referred to as local realism in physical science. In classical physics for instance one thing could only be affected by forces in its proximity. However, in the quantum world, particles are locked together in a quantum state and exchanging information which travels faster than the light. This is what the quantum entanglement theory all narrows down to.
To entangle particles, researchers use photons or electrons. These particles are invariably produced indistinct from one another and it is common to find that they share certain properties, for instance, their spin or polarization.
Once the two particles are connected, they have an intimate connection irrespective of the distance separating the two. For instance, if two electrons got entangled in space and are light years apart from each other, if the spin of electron one is observed then the spin of electron two is immediately adjusted, regardless of the distance. The fundamental quanta of light’s quantum behavior is a demonstration of what physicists call ‘action at a distance’, which has baffled them for many decades while it is a fundamental aspect of quantum mechanics.
Quantum Machine Learning
The greatest promise of quantum entanglement theory which can be practical applied to quantum computation. While classical computers operate from bits as the elements of information, quantum computing computers work from what is called qubits. These qubits may be in one state and one state at the same time as a result of superposition and this is capable of processing information that is vastly beyond the capability of bits.
However, the real opportunities for the calculations using quantum computers are unleashed when multiple qubits are entangled. By applying entangled quantum states, enhancement in the processing capacity of the quantum computer is seen to be proportional.
For example, a specific type of computer such as the quantum computing computer is capable of compromising codes that a classical computer would practically take millions of years to decipher. Further, in chemistries such as in drug discovery and material science, quantum computers may offer a very accurate emulation of the molecule and atoms.
One more topic that has not been researched but has great potential is the integration of quantum mechanics and machine learning. Specifically, quantum machine learning is the integration of quantum computing with ML to produce systems that can learn and decide at unparalleled effectiveness as compared to classical computing systems.
Due to the use of quantum entanglement in quantum algorithms, the algorithms can solve massive problems concurrently and, therefore can become effective in image processing, language identification, path establishment, and other pattern-solving problems. While this convergence might help society in numerous ways it can revolutionize industries that involve analysis of big data including finance, healthcare, and artificial intelligence.
In the sphere of communication secured quantum entanglement theory holds the key, but one of the most promising applications in this sphere is quantum communication. Quantum communication utilizes the features of entangled particles and no individual can intercept the information without distorting it.
Looking at the concept of quantum entanglement communication one might perceive that it is one of the simplest concepts in the world yet the concept is very profound. The state of the transmitting sent particles and the receiving received particles are intrinsically connected, and this is in a way that if one party seeks to spy on the communication then that system will be instantly destroyed. This has the added security built in making quantum communication as a viable solution for secure data transfer as opposed to the current world where cybersecurity threats are constantly evolving and becoming much more complex.
For instance, quantum key distribution, or QKD is a technology that ensures that two users get to share secure communication keys using entangled photons. In the course of carrying out the eavesdropping, the quantum state of the photons is interfered with thus making the intruding party detected.
One of the visionary ideas is the idea of a quantum internet which is an internet of quantum information allegedly transmitted and received at the same time around the world. This network of artificial quantum computers and sensors would be using entangled photons communication and therefore the information exchange between the artificial quantum computers and sensors would be executed at the highest speed.
In such a network, entangled particles will be sent across large distances through the use of quantum communication links thus creating a network of inter-connected devices. The possibilities of having a quantum internet cannot be overemphasized and it is seen to have its application in fields such as financial, security, and military.
Nevertheless, the emergence of quantum entanglement theory is itself the answer to many questions about the mechanics of the material world, but the field is not void of its difficulties. Quantum mechanics is stochastic and therefore while entangled particles share correlation they are not deterministic until the measurement is taken.
Further, sustaining entanglement over greater distances, or more popularly, quantum entanglement communication presents certain problems because of decoherence, which is a process wherein entangled particles lose their quantum state due to external interferences. Current technologies are incapable of sustaining entangled states for a very long time and this brings up the problem of scaling the technology for future use.
Lastly, when it comes to the prospects of quantum mechanics and physics presented by quantum physics for beginners there is a lot that is still not well understood even by scientists. Some of the ideas, for example, non-locality, superposition, and wave function collapse are concepts that blur the notion of reality.
Quantum Physics
A single person needs to have a good grasp of what pertains to quantum structures physics to expound on the quantum states entanglement. Quantum mechanics or quantum physics itself relies on some postulates which define the quantum world. Entanglement, Superposition of states, and wave function collapse are some of the leading principles that form the bedrock base underlying quantum theory.
Superposition for instance will allow a particle to be in two states at the same time at the same location till an attempt to measure it is made. This formidable ability is the base of quantum computation as qubits, or quantum bits, can express 0 and 1 at the same time. As described above, entanglement connects particles in a manner that is unknown in classical physics. Semantic clarification of these two is as follows; Entanglement is a term used to describe two quantum particles that are intrinsically interconnected and which take on definite values at the same time.
And for those who start studying the topic, it is relevant to recommend the books with the following titles: ‘Quantum Physics for Beginners and ‘Quantum Theory for Dummies’. To illustrate, yes these books provide clear rather simplified explanations of these concepts but they do not shy away from showing just how different reality on the quantum level is from reality as we know it.
Another stunning example of supported quantum entanglement theory is in the area of quantum journalism through quantum security communication in quantum literati. Cryptography has been used in secure communication in countries for many years and has become very necessary especially when information is so vital nowadays.
Classical encryption techniques employ mathematical formulas that are presumably hard to break today but can be cracked when quantum computers come onto the scene. The quantum key distribution approach or popular QKD is a unique system of secure communication that works by using the principles of quantum entanglement communication to transmit cryptographic keys.
The two protagonists are Charles Bennett and Gilles Brassard, and the protocol they created is called BB84. It employs two entangled photons to send a cryptographic key between two users. If a third party tries to tap into the signal streams then the photographic light signal that is used will alter the quantum properties of the photons used and this will point out that there was an invasion. This makes sure that the exchange of cryptographic keys is done safely.
The underlying basis of this method is quantum entanglement since it allows two participants to construct a safe secret key. If the keys are encrypted with a one-way hash function with a predefined number let’s say, X, even if the opponent gets unlimited computational power, the laws of quantum mechanics do not allow them to read the key without being detected.
As with any quantum communication or QKD, these are the systems that are being already deployed in some systems, but the greatest development is going to be in deploying them across the board. At this moment, it seems almost impossible to sustain system’s ER over long distances due to the decoherence and noises in the channel. But there is hope and scientists are working hard to create quantum repeaters, which are gadgets that can help to transfer entangled particles across extensive distances without erasing the information.
The ultimate goal is to form a quantum internet, entangled particles scattered throughout the entire world that are capable of transmitting information with zero time delay and cannot be intercepted. This kind of network would change industries such as finance, military operations, and cybersecurity as one mishap in such a network leads to massive losses. The Internet according to quantum mechanics and quantum physics would be secure in its quality, in what is called the quantum internet.
Even for someone who rarely thinks about such things and just took quantum mechanics on with no particular understanding of what it was all for, it’s surprising how relevant it is today. They include lasers, transistors, and MRI machines among others which operate within principles birthed by the quantum theory. It is therefore important to have some capital of knowledge about the basics of quantum physics to fashion the next generation of technology.
For instance, semiconductors which are the components of all the latest devices owe their operation to quantum electronic states within materials. Another amazing concept of quantum mechanics is quantum tunneling, through which electrons can penetrate through gates that are impossible according to classical physics technology to brew ultra-small and highly efficient gadgets.
Also, the basics of quantum theory might be described using such concepts as light for learners with no prior knowledge about the theory. The photoelectric effect which is the light emission of electrons from fluorescent materials was one of the earliest pieces of evidence for quantum mechanics. Today, this effect is the basis for equipment like solar panels and even digital cameras.
For readers who are just starting with this topic, there are “dumbed-down” guides on the topic, such as books like Quantum Theory for Dummies. Certain of these resources teach fundamental concepts of quantum mechanics about things within our everyday life, invoking simple logic and efforted attempts to rationalize such concepts as wave-particle duality, superposition, and entanglement.
There are many more fundamental concepts than quantum mechanics that people do not understand even though there is no mathematic or physics knowledge needed to understand it. At least high school knowledge of science allows one to start to see and understand why quantum theory is important and how it’s driving the next generation of technology.
Quantum entanglement theory is not merely a phenomenon of fun and fancy—a thought that is closer to being a key that unlocks a parallel reality. Starting from quantum computation to quantum communication, the size and the impact of quantum mechanics are enormous. Nevertheless, as glorious as it is, quantum mechanics and physics are still a field filled with unknowns and, in some ways, mapping out the unknown necessitates defectors from the conventions of the rationality and logic that we often take for granted.
Here we also stay in the realm of quantum physics and its fundamentals becoming the fiction from the future and vice versa, where the mysteries of the Universe start to unveil with the help of quantum entanglement – one particle at a time.
By Amit Goswami, PhD, a retired physicist from the University of Oregon, USA. For more insights and educational resources, visit Facebook, Cqaedu.
