A team of engineering geniuses from the University of Bristol, England has developed the world’s first re-programmable, multi-purpose quantum photonic computer chip that relies on quantum entanglement to perform calculations.

With multiple waveguide channels (made from standard silicon dioxide), and eight electrodes (see image above), the silicon chip is capable of repeatedly entangling photons. Depending on how the electrodes are programmed, different quantum states can be produced. The end result is two qubits that can be used to perform quantum computing — and unlike D-Wave’s 128-qubit processor (well, depending on who you ask) this is real quantum computing.

Most importantly, though, unlike existing quantum photonic setups which require apparatus the size of a “large dining table,” this new chip is tiny: just 70mm (2.7 inches) by 3mm (pictured below) — not exactly a 22nm component size, then, but small enough to squeeze inside a computer; and really, that’s the whole point. This chip, fundamentally, is like a very basic electronic chip, but for light. This chip, for the first time, brings the possibility of quantum computing to home and mobile computers.....