UK Scientists to Save Mobiles from Hack Doom with Quantum Chip

An international research team at the University of Bristol has created a quantum chip that is likely to secure mobile phones against hacking attempts, the Financial Times reported.

The invention, the details of which are to be made public during the British Science Festival in Aberdeen this week, would also enable both mobile phone and computer users to shop and bank online more safely.

The silicon quantum chip is powered by light and is significantly smaller than its glass predecessors, allowing for its mass production and easy integration with microelectronic circuits. Bristol physics professor Jeremy O`Brien told Financial Times that such integration could take place within the next five years.

Quantum computers bring about a huge leap in computing power as they enable the solving of trillions of operations at the same time, surpassing existing supercomputers by far. A series of high-tech companies, such as Toshiba and Nokia, have supported the research.

“Understanding quantum photonics opens exciting prospects for further research into security, sensors and information processing” said Antti Niskanen, research leader at Nokia Research Centre in Cambridge. “Security of personal data, the ability for a device to sense the world around it and the ability to quickly interpret this information all offer future benefits for mobile device users.”