Quantum entanglement can be treated as a shareable resource
Peter Jurik/Alamy
Quantum entanglement, a phenomenon where particles become interconnected and share state regardless of distance, is a fundamental resource for quantum technologies such as computing and communication. Recent research has explored the concept of sharing entanglement as a resource that can be passed on between multiple parties indefinitely.
Traditionally, entanglement is generated from scratch for specific quantum tasks. However, a study conducted by researchers at the Harish-Chandra Research Institute in India proposed a scenario where entanglement could be shared among participants. This novel approach envisions a situation where individuals possess entanglement and are willing to distribute it to others in need, similar to sharing resources like money or sweets.
The study introduced a theoretical model where two individuals, referred to as Alice and Bob, initially share entanglement. Subsequently, another pair named Charu and Debu requires entanglement but lacks the means to create it independently. Through mathematical calculations, the researchers demonstrated that if Charu’s particle interacts with Alice’s particle and Debu’s particle interacts with Bob’s particle, the entanglement can be transferred from the first pair to the second.
The researchers further discovered that this entanglement-sharing process could theoretically extend to an infinite number of successive pairs of individuals who require entanglement. Although the mathematical model suggests an unlimited sharing potential, in practical scenarios, the amount of shared entanglement would gradually decrease with each transfer due to inevitable losses.
While the theoretical framework outlines the procedures for transferring entanglement between participants, experimental validation of these methods is pending. Additionally, the study highlights the need for further exploration on how this entanglement-sharing concept compares to existing methods of distributing entanglement from a central source.
Overall, the research sheds light on a novel approach to leveraging entanglement as a shareable resource in quantum technologies, opening up possibilities for collaborative quantum information processing and communication strategies.
Chirag Srivastava, a researcher involved in the study, emphasizes the importance of understanding the limitations of entanglement sharing, as practical constraints may impact the sustainability of the sharing process over multiple iterations.
