A groundbreaking study published in Advanced Photonics Nexus details a method developed by researchers from Peking University, Southern University of Science and Technology, and the University of Science and Technology of China for efficiently creating and manipulating entangled photons.

The innovative technique involves directing multiple single photons toward a gradient metasurface from various angles, which facilitates quantum interference to produce entangled states.

Metasurfaces, which are ultrathin, engineered structures, control light's phase, frequency, and polarization, making them ideal for simpler and more efficient multiphoton entanglement.

This method not only generates various entangled states but also fuses multiple entangled photon pairs, allowing for the encoding of more quantum information in a compact space.

Quantum information processing relies heavily on the entanglement of multiple photons, yet traditional methods have faced challenges with efficiency and scaling.

Professor Ying Gu emphasizes that this new approach serves as a simpler alternative to complex optical setups, comparing it to finding a shortcut in a maze.

The study indicates that metasurfaces could become essential components for future quantum technologies, significantly enhancing the accessibility of quantum applications.

This breakthrough could revolutionize quantum computing by enabling the development of smaller quantum devices, potentially as compact as laptops, and facilitating quantum networks for multiple users.