UNSW:The Power of Light with Dr Alison Goldingay

Throughout human history, light has been the fundamental driver of biological and technological progress, from the photosynthesis that feeds us to the fossilized solar energy (coal) that powered the Industrial Revolution. While contemporary society relies on light for renewable energy and global communication, a profound shift is occurring at the nanoscale. By moving beyond the classical understanding of light as a wave and treating it as individual particles—photons—scientists are discovering methods to store and transmit information using the quantum properties of light, such as polarization and spin. This transition marks the move from simply consuming light to actively manipulating its fundamental particles for computation and security.

Leading this charge, researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) are pioneering methods to create and detect single photons using silicon and erbium at near-absolute zero temperatures. This capability is the cornerstone of the emerging Quantum Revolution. The technology promises two major breakthroughs: Quantum Computing, which utilizes photons as 'qubits' to solve complex problems intractable for current computers, and Quantum Cryptography, which offers a new paradigm of security where information effectively self-destructs if intercepted. For business and industry, this represents a future where data processing and security are governed by the laws of physics rather than software code.