"Phonon Splitting Paves Way for Chip-Sized Quantum Computers"
Researchers at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering have demonstrated the quantum properties of phonons by using an acoustic beamsplitter to "split" phonons and create interference between two phonons. This is a critical step towards creating a new kind of quantum computer that uses phonons instead of photons. The team's success in creating a two-phonon interference experiment confirms that phonons are equivalent to photons and that the technology exists to build a linear mechanical quantum computer. The next step is to create a logic gate using phonons.