Quantum Computation/Cryptography at Los Alamos
Faustine
a3495 at cotse.com
Thu Aug 23 15:17:33 PDT 2001
Los Alamos develops quantum crypto system
By Chappell Brown
Electrical Engineering Times
(08/23/01, 1:06 p.m. EST)
LOS ALAMOS, N.M. Engineers at Los Alamos National Laboratory have
developed what they believe is a practical quantum cryptographic system.
The system features two portable units that can encrypt and decrypt
information transmitted via photons. Experiments have shown that encryption
keys can be sent via free-space transmission at distances of up to 6 miles.
The system could be used to ensure safe communications between satellites.
Quantum cryptography uses the fundamental law of quantum mechanics: Any
observation of a system changes its state. Since photons are elementary
particles, they are subject to the law. If a third party attempts to "tune
in" to the encrypted transmission, the quantum state of the photons will
change, allowing the eavesdropping to be detected.
Quantum Computation/Cryptography at Los Alamos homepage
http://qso.lanl.gov/qc/
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