Miniaturized television aerials made from gold nanorods could provide a way to control light on a chip — opening up the channels of quantum communication.

If quantum computing networks are ever to become a reality, physicists must find a way to direct and harness the light emitted in quantum experiments. “We must know where and when photons are emitted if we want to collect them efficiently and perform advanced tasks,” says Jason Smith, an expert on quantum nanostructures at the University of Oxford, UK.

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