-- Steven M. Bellovin wrote: > http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/33425/118/ > > "Ann Arbor (MI) - University of Michigan scientists > have discovered a breakthrough way to utilize light in > cryptography. The new technique can crack even complex > codes in a matter of seconds. Scientists believe this > technique offers much advancement over current > solutions and could serve to foil national and > personal security threats if employed."... > > I'll let those who know more physics comment in > detail; from reading the article, it appears to lead > to a way to construct quantum computers.
It is another *in* *principle* design: The computer is programmed and supplied with data at optical frequencies. We cannot modulate light at that frequency with sufficient precision and detail. Perhaps we will be able to soon. As Moore's law progresses, quantum effects get relatively larger. Another way of stating this proposal is to say that when we can build classical computers with nanoscale line widths and hundred terahertz clocks, *then* we can build quantum computers - indeed, we will have to, as our classical computers will start acting weirdly due to quantum effects. Quantum computers are best done with the highest possible frequencies and the lowest possible energies, so become more feasible as conventional computers become faster and more energy efficient. If we had optical computing at optical frequencies with quantum dots acting as the nonlinear elements, yes, quantum effects would be quite large, making classical computers harder, and quantum computers easier. If we could build a quantum computer of this design, we could build a classical computer that operated at five hundred terahertz, and in order program and interface with the proposed quantum computer, we are going to *need* a classical computer that operates at five hundred terahertz, that is to say five hundred thousand gigahertz, that is to say five million megahertz. It will be a while before you can buy that one at Fry's. --------------------------------------------------------------------- The Cryptography Mailing List Unsubscribe by sending "unsubscribe cryptography" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]