The second quantum revolution

The development of quantum mechanics has now reached such a level that we can consider its promising applications in various fields as a looming second quantum revolution. The classical computer that relies on logical gates is out, now quantum properties open the way to new machines that will simulate nature's events exactly, this will be possible because both nature and the machine will be quantum. The machine will mimic nature and some problems like high temperature superconductivity that resist any modelling will be reproduced easily and then put within hand reach to be understood. Another application is quantum imaging based on the property of quantum entanglement. In the case of 2 entangled particle beams, the measurement of the properties of one beam fixes the values on the other beam. In other words, in case of entangled fluctuations, the measurement of the fluctuations on one beam fixes the value of the fluctuations on the other beam and by subtracting them on the second beam, we get a more accurate result: we have made the background noise disappear. Another application, that has already entered our daily life, is the generation of random numbers in a simple way: quantum mechanics states that a photon has a probability of 50 % to be reflected by a semi-reflecting plate and be detected, this experimental setting is a perfect toss play. The most known application of quantum mechanics is cryptography to assure the security of information transfer. Various systems have proved its efficiency but this technology is hampered by the damping of the signal in optical fibers and is reliable on distances shorter than a few hundreds kilometers. (A.C.)