MIT researchers have come up with a new system that may make encryption techniques, which are presently in use to keep computer data safe, a thing of past. The research team said it has created a new quantum computer with the help of just five atoms. The computer is the first one ever to realize a potential mathematical technique that was invented over a couple of decades back.

With the help of laser pulses, they carried out Shor’s algorithm to determine the prime factors of the number fifteen, which are five and three. According to scientists, the process can be increased to factor bigger numbers.

Researcher Isaac Chuang of MIT said, “We show that Shor’s algorithm, the most complex quantum algorithm known to date, is realizable in a way where, yes, all you have to do is go in lab, apply more technology, and you should be able to make a bigger quantum computer”.

Digital computers rely on two numbers, 0 and 1 for calculations to make calculations, but quantum computers use qubits, the numbers that superimpose 0 and 1 at one place.

The process lets computers carry out a single calculation simultaneously, which notably increases both speed and efficiency over present technology. Usually it takes many qubits to factor the number 15; however, the new technique developed by MIT researchers has reduced that by over a half.

Isaac Chuang, professor of physics and professor of electrical engineering and computer science at MIT, said according to the MIT research paper published by the study team, they have shown that Shor’s algorithm is realizable in a way. The paper mentioned that all you need to do is go in the lab, use more technology and you must succeed in making a bigger quantum computer.