Researchers at the University of Central Florida (UCF) have discovered a way to create complex, entangled light states that are both robust and scalable.
This breakthrough, published in the journal Science, solves a major hurdle in building practical quantum computers by making them less sensitive to imperfections.
The team has developed a method to entangle “topological modes,” special pathways for light that are naturally protected against errors. This new scalable approach allows them to generate increasingly complex entangled states without making the system more complicated.
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The work was led by Professor Andrea Blanco-Redondo at UCF’s College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL). The study, titled “High-dimensional Topological Photonic Entanglement,” was conducted with her team, including doctoral student Javad Zakery and former research scientist Armando Perez-Leija.
Quantum computers use qubits to perform many calculations at once. However, they are extremely fragile and easily disrupted by tiny imperfections, making them hard to scale up. This new method uses light to create stable quantum connections, or entanglement, that can resist those errors.
The researchers used silicon photonic waveguide arrays, which are like tiny channels that guide light. By rearranging these channels in a specific pattern, they created multiple “protected modes” in the same space. Photons traveling through these modes can become entangled, meaning the state of one photon is instantly linked to that of another.
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This robustness and scalability are essential for building powerful quantum systems. Such systems could revolutionize medicine by enabling ultra-sensitive imaging, creating new sustainable materials, and cracking complex logistical problems—such as optimizing millions of delivery routes instantly—that are beyond today’s computers.
Previously, the team had demonstrated the fundamental ability to entangle topological states, but they did not know how to scale it up. The new method solves this by proving they can add more entangled states without adding complexity, moving them from a basic proof-of-concept toward a practical, buildable system.
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This discovery positions UCF and Florida as a key hub for quantum technology. It comes as the Florida Alliance for Quantum Technology (FAQT) is expanding its industry efforts. According to Blanco-Redondo, this publication provides major momentum, helping combine expertise across the university to build the quantum infrastructure of the future.
