Posted: 20th Apr, 2010 By: MarkJ

Boffins working at Toshiba's Cambridge UK Research Laboratory have developed a special detector that allows them to send data using individual quantum physics particles, such as photons (light) or electrons, with a secure bit rate exceeding 1Mbps over a 50km fibre optic cable.
Toshiba Explanation
Quantum Information Technology concerns the transport and processing of information using individual particles such as electrons or photons. Using single particles in this way brings unexpected advantages. By sending information encoded upon single photons (the particles of light) it is possible to test the secrecy of each communication.
Toshiba has exploited this phenomenon to create a practical system for secure communication over fibre optical cables. However, Quantum Cryptography, as this secure communication method is known, is just the first in a series of quantum innovations which promises to revolutionise the entire IT industry over the next two decades.
The method effectively offers a theoretically unbreakable solution for securing data because any attempt to intercept the key would change it and also expose the hacking activity. Heads are likely to explode if we attempt to grasp the intricacies (my head already hurts enough from String Theory).
Dr Andrew Shields, who directs this work at Toshiba Research Europe, said:
"Although the feasibility of QKD with megabits per second has been shown in the lab, these experiments lasted only minutes or even seconds at a time and required manual adjustments. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time that continuous operation has been demonstrated at high bit rates. Although much development work remains this advance could allow unconditionally secure communication with significant bandwidths."
Granted 1Mbps isn't terribly fast, though previously it was only possible to send such data through the air over very short distances. The new development brings this technology into the realms of practicality. That would certainly make it difficult for the government or music industry to see what you're doing online :cool: .